A road traffic operation conducted by the North West based traffic law enforcement officials nicknamed, JAWS – are illegal according to the office of the director of public prosecution in the province.
Recently, this office has been inundated with complaints from members of the public about Jaws’ random operations where they exercise supreme powers over motorists. The SABC has been reliably informed that 65 % of the revenue generated from outstanding traffic fines, goes to the company in partnership with provincial government.
The elite special unit Jaws, which seeks to recover about R15 million in outstanding fines and increase traffic law enforcement visibility was established in October 2007. Its campaign has been equipped with 39 high performance vehicles and dedicated personnel.
In less than two months of its establishment, “Operation Jaws of Life” had collected about R1 million in outstanding traffic fines and it is believed half of this money was collected on sides of the roads during special operations and roadblocks.
Now the NPA wants the operations of Jaws be reviewed. Advocate Rapula Molefe, the deputy director of public prosecutions says: “Jaws does not have the powers in terms of the law to collect traffic fines from motorists while they are conducting roadblocks … they cannot do that because its not only illegal but for auditing purposes it creates complications.”
Motorists have also raised concerns with how Jaws is conducting its operations. One told reporters: “When you have traffic fines you that you have not paid – they want to arrest you on the spot – if you couldn’t pay that ticket previously what makes them think you will have that money now.”
Another said: “They don’t even let you to negotiate – they just want you to pay up front. If you don’t have money – you find yourself behind bars.”
Opposition parties in the province are calling for the investigation into the Jaws contract. Nikiwe Num, the COPE leader in the North West says: “The awarding of that long term contract is questionable – and the failure by the Department of Public Works and Roads to disclose what Jaws is all about – what are the terms of references, it leaves much to be desired.”
The Provincial Department of Public Safety is continuing to pay for the services regardless the anomalies in the contract.
The National Prosecuting Authority has slammed the manner in which Jaws operates and says it does not comply with the laws but according to the department, Jaws has, to date, recorded over 70 000 warrants of arrests to motorist who have failed to pay their traffic fines.
[From SABCnews.com]