There has been an ongoing tension developing between Grahamstown residents and municipal traffic officers. Complaints by two female citizens against the conduct of traffic officials has brought to light a record of similar complaints of harassment by officers, stretching back to 2003.
There has been an ongoing tension developing between Grahamstown residents and municipal traffic officers. Complaints by two female citizens against the conduct of traffic officials has brought to light a record of similar complaints of harassment by officers, stretching back to 2003.
While some of the claims may be spurious in nature, others are far from it, such as the case resolved in August 2005 of Madikane Jelu, a freelance photographer who was detained and harassed at the hands of an officer under the premise of resisting arrest. Jelu was later found not guilty of these charges.
In September 2009 there were further pending charges of misconduct levelled against an officer of the Grahamstown Traffic Department.
The Grahamstown Municipality has been unavailable to provide record of the number of claims of misconduct filed against traffic officials in the past years.
Senior Superintendent Pierre Kapp of the Grahamstown Traffic Department described the issues as often a misunderstanding between members of the public and the officers. According to him the public should be aware of their rights, as well as the rights of the officer.
Traffic officers are well within their rights to arrest and escort an offender to the nearest police station should they deem it necessary. Motorists are also fully within their rights to request that the officer follow their vehicle to a local police station should they feel unsafe or threatened in any way.
According to Kapp, traffic fines (or admission of guilt fines as they are officially known) should never be paid directly to the officer but should rather be settled at the Traffic Department or with the District Magistrate’s office. The attitude Kapp wishes to instil in his officers is one of gentile respect between motorists and officials. Any behaviour that is construed as threatening or malicious should be raised with the department.
If you have any information about traffic officers regarding verbal or physical misconduct or if you have been a victim of such misconduct, email news@grocotts.co.za
