Not so fine!

Trouble brews as a motorist is found to have an outstanding warrant for unpaid fines

Department of Transport official Beauty Ziqubu discusses the outstanding fines policy with a motorist while City Traffic officer Tito Pooe looks on

Strict action taken as City loses millions in unpaid fines

‘We could knock on your door while you are watching rugby on a Saturday afternoon - and it won’t be a social visit.’ That warning was issued on Wednesday by uMhlathuze Traffic Chief, Paul Oliver after the City and Province began a huge blitz to recover outstanding traffic fines. Oliver revealed that the City has a woeful 27% recovery rate when it comes to motorists paying their fines. This means that millions of rands in lost revenue is being subsidised by law-abiding residents.‘Unbelievably, 73% just ignore their fines - but that is going to change,’ he said.‘Our officers will be going out seven days a week, including evenings, to visit offenders.‘My advice is for anyone who has outstanding unpaid fines to come forward, visit our Empangeni offices and make arrangements for payment before they are taken to court.’ Oliver’s warning came after a huge roadblock on the John Ross Parkway on Tuesday saw 342 vehicles stopped in what will become a weekly project aimed at catching fine defaulters. The first combined City Traffic and Department of Transport initiative netted outstanding fines worth R31 000 and saw 66 old summonses reissued for this area. A large number of motorists were connected to outstanding fines in other parts of KZN. Eight warrants of arrest were served, while numerous new cases were made as vehicles that were stopped displayed defects.