Omar Daniel Fourie van Aalwyndal skryf:
Ek het die afgelope tyd agtergekom dat die verkeersowerhede al hoe meer by punte langs die pad staan en motors aftrek.
Dit gebeur in die dorp (Mosselbaai-verkeer) en langs die hoofweg (provin-siale verkeer). Dit is goed so, want wetstoepassing en ander dienslewering is onder andere waarom ons almal in Mosselbaai woon.
Ek kom egter vanweë my werk oral in die dorp en gereeld in al die dele van KwaNonqaba, en alhoewel ek elke week in die res van Mosselbaai deur die verkeersowerhede afgetrek word, het ek nog nie een keer in vyf jaar verkeersbeamptes in KwaNonqaba teëgekom waar hulle motoriste aftrek nie.
Dit is sekerlik net my persepsie, maar tog een wat ek waargeneem het.
Die vraag wat by my opkom is of die verkeersbeamptes bang is vir die gemeenskap in KwaNonqaba, want ek weet baie van die plaaslike beamptes woon daar, of hulle beskou die woonbuurt as wetteloos en onregeerbaar... want ek sou reken as hulle al die sogenaamde "township"-karre, -taxis en -lisensies moet nagaan, dit weereens die spreekwoordelike byenes sou oopskop.
Verder weet die verkeersowerheid die res van die dorp kan die boetes betaal, en heel waarskynlik baie minder dié wat in KwaNonqaba woon.
Ek sou graag wou weet wat die verkeersdepartement se kommentaar hieroor is?
The Western Cape Department of Mobility writes:
Provincial Traffic and Mossel Bay Municipal Traffic have clearly defined but complementary responsibilities. Provincial Traffic is responsible for provincial roads, including the N2 and the R102 (Louis Fourie Road), while Municipal Traffic is responsible for roads within the municipal road network.
Importantly, Provincial Traffic's operational area extends across the greater Mossel Bay area, including KwaNonqaba, and officers do conduct enforcement operations and respond to traffic-related complaints in the area.
There is also a strong working relationship between Provincial and Municipal Traffic. The two law-enforcement services regularly support one another operationally, including providing additional capacity when required. Enforcement activities are informed by a range of factors, including road safety risks, traffic violations, complaints, incidents and available operational resources.
It is important to note that traffic officers cannot be present in every area, on every road, at all times. Roadside enforcement is only one part of broader traffic law enforcement, which includes patrols, roadblocks, targeted operations and responding to reported incidents and complaints.
We therefore do not believe that the frequency with which a motorist encounters an officer in a particular area should be interpreted as an indication that the area is being neglected or that officers are reluctant to operate there.
KwaNonqaba forms part of the operational area covered by traffic law enforcement, and enforcement is undertaken there alongside the work of Mossel Bay Municipal Traffic.
Our priority remains the same across communities: to promote safer roads, ensure compliance with traffic legislation and provide a visible and responsive traffic law enforcement service to all road users.
Die Mosselbaai-munisipaliteit skryf:
Die munisipaliteit neem kennis van die navraag oor die geografiese verspreiding van verkeerswetstoepassing.
Die doel van verkeerswetstoepassing is om padveiligheid te bevorder en wetgewing konsekwent en billik regoor die munisipale gebied toe te pas, ongeag 'n motoris se woongebied, voertuigtipe of persoonlike omstandighede.
Die ontplooiing van verkeerspersoneel word bepaal deur 'n verskeidenheid operasionele faktore, insluitend verkeersvloei, padveiligheidsrisiko's, oortredingspatrone, klagtes vanuit gemeenskappe, beskikbare hulpbronne en, waar toepaslik, samewerking met ander wetstoepassingsagentskappe.
Die munisipaliteit kan nie kommentaar lewer op spekulasie of aannames oor die beweegredes agter operasionele ontplooiings nie.
Enige beoordeling van die billikheid of doeltreffendheid van verkeerswetstoepassing behoort op verifieerbare feite en operasionele inligting gegrond te wees.
Die munisipaliteit bly verbind tot billike, professionele en konsekwente verkeerswets-toepassing in alle gemeenskappe binne die munisipale gebied.
