Pretoria - Motorists have been warned to watch their behaviour behind the wheel as reckless driving could see them go into the New Year without their licenses.
"We want to remind motorists that in addition to a fine and or imprisonment, the national Road Traffic Act places a duty on courts to suspend or disqualify a driving license for persons found guilty of drinking and driving, reckless and negligent driving and speeding," said Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele.
First time offenders could lose their licenses for six months, second timers for at least five years and third time offenders for at least ten years.
In November, the Act was amended to include speeding over the prescribed limit (by more than 30km/h within an urban area and more than 40km/h outside an urban area) among the criteria for which motorists could have their licenses suspended and or disqualified.
"As we head towards 2011, we are intensifying our road safety strategy as part of South Africa's Make Roads Safe campaign and the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety from 2011 to 2020. We call upon every South African to partner with government and go all out to ensure safer roads," said Ndebele.
As part of the Make Roads Safe campaign and new National Rolling Enforcement Plan (NREP), during the past week, more than 280 000 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked.
Thousands of fines were issued for various traffic offences; more than 560 drunk drivers were arrested and more than 50 drivers arrested for speeding. There has also been an increase in offences relating to tyres and number plates.
In Johannesburg from 20 to 27 December, more than 9 600 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked; 182 drunk drivers were arrested and 81 vehicles were discontinued from use.
From 1 to 27 December across South Africa, more than 1.3 million vehicles and drivers were checked and more than 2 000 drunk drivers arrested.
During the early hours of Tuesday, a SA Roadlink bus, on its way from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg, was discontinued from use by Eastern Cape Traffic Officials at Mthatha.
In KwaZulu-Natal from 1 to 27 December, more than 250 971 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked; 43 707 fines issued for various traffic offences; 904 vehicles discontinued from use; 354 drunk drivers arrested; 53 speed arrests; 3 055 fines for driving licence offences; 2 476 for seatbelts; 1 793 for unlicensed vehicles; 74 for inconsiderate driving and 69 warrants of arrest executed.
In the Eastern Cape during the same period, more than 88 906 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked; 26 915 fines issued for various traffic offences; 772 vehicles discontinued from use including 43 buses and 284 mini-buses; 1 044 arrests including 219 for drunk driving, 39 for excessive speed, 9 for reckless and negligent driving, 64 for overloading, 46 for public transport permits, 231 for not being in possession of a valid driving licence and 302 warrants of arrest executed.
From 1 October to 27 December more than four million (4,179,095) vehicles and drivers have been stopped and checked and more than 1.8 million fines issued for various traffic offences.
More than 25 000 un-roadworthy vehicles, including several buses and taxis, were discontinued from use. More than 4 000 drunk drivers were arrested.
During November, 1 493 574 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked, 684 739 fines issued and 10 282 vehicles discontinued from use. The highest number of vehicles and drivers (220 226) were stopped in KwaZulu-Natal.
During October 2010, 1,385,521 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked, 408 650 fines issued and 4 481 vehicles discontinued from use.
The highest number of vehicles and drivers (276 579) were stopped in Gauteng. There were 2 256 drunk driving arrests, of which 930 were in the Western Cape.
