JOHANNESBURG – Justice Project South Africa has noted that the Minister of Transport, Ms Dipuo Elizabeth Peters is once again giving motorists an “early Christmas present” by regurgitating threats she levelled at them around this time last year, as well as making additional ones in Parliament.
Last year, the Minister and the CEO of the RTMC threatened delinquent drivers, in particular those who drive at speeds above the speed limit and those who are under the influence of alcohol with extended periods of incarceration prior to being released on bail to be tried in a criminal court and this year the Minister appears to be doing exactly the same thing. This comes in spite of her assertions last year to the effect that the Department of Transport was working closely with the Department of Justice to urgently have these crimes rescheduled to Schedule 5 offences under the Criminal Procedure Act. This year she is levelling the same threats and making the same assertions – thereby indicating that no progress has been made in that regard, probably because of the pure absurdity of it all. Continue reading