Picture this. A rep, late for an appointment in the next town, gets caught doing 143 km/h in a 120 zone. The fine’s supposed to be R750, but the cop seems a little reluctant to start writing. Finally, he broaches the subject of “breakfast.” He and his partner, he says, don’t feel like all the schlep of writing out the ticket because they were just about ready to go for their mid-morning meal. After a bit of negotiation, it’s agreed that a warning will suffice, and a good breakfast for two should cost about R100. A note changes hands and all is well in the New South Africa.
Now consider this.
A rep, late for an appointment in the next town, gets caught doing 143 km/h in a 120 zone. The fine’s supposed to be R750, but the cop seems a little reluctant to start writing. Finally, he broaches the subject of “breakfast.” He and his partner, he says, don’t feel like all the schlep of writing out the ticket because they were just about ready to go for their mid-morning meal. Plus, there’s all the extra inconvenience caused by AARTO — the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act that means the culprit’s going to have his licence docked by a couple of points.
The cop goes online and establishes that his victim is just two points short of losing his licence for 90 days, apart from incurring a R750 fine. After a bit of negotiation it’s agreed that a warning will suffice, and a good breakfast for two should cost about R2000. A big bundle of notes changes hands and the relieved rep goes on his way, secure in the knowledge that his licence and his job are both safe.
The cop can buy a case of beer, take his in-laws to dinner, fill his wife’s car with 60 litres of unleaded, and take half a dozen of his mates to breakfast the next morning before work. All is well, once again, in the New South Africa.
AARTO has been held up for over a decade now as being the solution to South Africa’s road fatality woes. It’s been held up, in a different sense, for about the same time by the reluctance of local authorities to relinquish the revenue from traffic offences. Under AARTO, you see, fines are managed and revenue collected by a single central traffic office.
It doesn’t really matter to the motorist though. Whichever way you look at it, his money ends up in the coffers and pockets of thieves.
A prince with dignity and determination
Prince Ngarambe’s goals are to become Rwanda’s first transgender model and to uplift the country’s youth
The EFF’s principles are unshakeable
Unlike the ANC, the core values of the freedom fighters do not change with each leader it elects
