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NEW TRAFFIC FINES GOING BACK TO PARLY

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MBABANE – The proposed Road Traffic Regulations fine increases are headed back to Parliament.


This was confirmed by the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Makhosini Mndawe. 
While some members of the public may argue that the proposed fine increases are meant to collect revenue for government, the PS said this was a continuing drive for road safety in the country.


Regulations


The PS said the ministry would soon be meeting with the new portfolio committee to introduce to them the regulations after which they hope that the new Minister, Chief Ndlaluhlaza would re-table them in Parliament.


During the 10th Parliament, the former minister, who is now Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini, and her then portfolio committee, tried, but in vain to ensure that the revised regulations were tabled after parliamentarians said the fees had been increased exorbitantly, particularly since the state of the country’s roads was appalling.   


However, it should be noted that these are lower than others in South Africa.
The MPs then said it would be unfair on the local motorists because the roads were in a very bad state and that civil servants had also not received any salary increments, which would dig deep into their pockets yet the economy was at a standstill.


The proposed new fees were double and even triple in some cases to what is currently being imposed as fines by the police on public roads.
For example, for an unlicensed driver it had been proposed that the fine should be E2 000 which was also the same for a person who permitted an unlicensed driver to get behind the wheel.  These fines currently stand between E120 to E200.


For drivers of vehicles without licence plates, it has also been proposed that they should be fined E1 000, while a person carrying an expired drivers licence would be expected to pay a fine of E250.


It has also been proposed that a driver who runs a red traffic light or bypasses it should be fined E2 000 while those with no hooters should also part with E500.


Amendments


However, the former legislators said the fines were too high and proposed amendments to some of them, although they vacated office while successfully dodging to have the debate.


Meanwhile, the ministry said the reason for the review of the Road Traffic Regulations was for the country to be in line with the regional developments in the transport industry within the three Regional Economic Communities mainly SADC, COMESA and EAC.


The main objectives for the review, according to the ministry, were further meant to improve the transportation of abnormal and dangerous goods where the regulations focus on the vehicle standards.
The regulations further stipulate additional requirements for drivers involved in the transportation of dangerous goods as well as procedures for handling such goods.


The regulations are also meant to improve driver testing and licencing standards, which would have to be met by driving schools and learner testing centres.


Harmonised


The ministry further said there would also be the introduction of road traffic signs that were regionally harmonised.
“Looking at the statistics on road traffic accidents, so many lives are lost. 820 lives were lost since January 2013 up to March 2017,” reads a report that was tabled in the House of Assembly by the then portfolio committee.


It was further reported that for the first part of 2017, 30 lives had been lost on the roads and that further analysis on the statistics indicated that over 75 per cent of the accidents were attributed to human behaviour.


The ministry said the traffic accidents painted a picture which propelled them to counter the increasing rate of traffic accidents by raising the fines.

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