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September 01, 2005

Law Society again challenges procedure over traffic fine arrests

Motorists, especially in Johannesburg, are being arrested or held illegally for outstanding traffic fines at police roadblocks, says Johan Gresse of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces in a Business Day report. ‘There has been an increase in the number of arrests for outstanding traffic fines with metro police adopting whatever method they feel fit, like throwing drivers in a bus for hours while the officer continues his work before they are driven to court,’ he said. Gresse has been involved in the past three years with a campaign launched by the Law Society of SA to make the public aware of their rights and to provide them with legal assistance. Johannesburg’s Metro police are continuing with the arrests despite civil charges being successfully laid against police who fail to follow procedure when arresting drivers at roadblocks. This is illegal, according to motor law expert Don Smart, who deals with about 1 300 complaints of this nature a year. ‘The Johannesburg Metro police blatantly ignore the law and the Constitution, they do not follow proper summons and warrant procedures,’ he is quoted as saying.
Full Business Day report  

 

Supplied courtesy of Legalbrief Today.