‘Arrest the owner!’ Mzansi defends driver after traffic cops pull unroadworthy truck off the road
Mzansi has slammed traffic police officials after an unroadworthy truck was pulled off the road and two people arrested on the N12 in Germiston on Wednesday.
A media statement posted on the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s Facebook page, about a driver’s arrest has been flooded with comments calling for tougher action to be taken against truck company management.
Mzansi believes drivers are being hauled over the coals for driving unroadworthy vehicles while their managers get off scot-free. Do you agree?
Mzansi has slammed traffic police officials after an unroadworthy truck was pulled off the road and two people arrested on the N12 in Germiston on Wednesday.
Officials pulled the truck over, near the Atlas Road off-ramp for allegedly driving an unroadworthy heavy goods vehicle loaded with steel estimated at R4 million, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on social media.
“At around 8.30am while patrolling the highway members of the unit reached a scene and found a stationary 24-wheeler truck in the middle of the road causing a major traffic backlog,” the RTMC said.
“Upon inspection authorities discovered the truck and trailer had numerous defects, including all 24 tyres worn out with exposed wires. Due to friction and heavy load some of the tyres were rubbing against each other on the axle of the trailer,.”
The RTMC said that the truck was travelling from Germiston to Mpumalanga and did not have a licence disc displayed.
The driver and an operator were taken into custody. Both did not have public transport documents.
“The driver will face charges of reckless and negligent driving, operating an unroadworthy vehicle,” the RTMC said.
“The truck has been impounded and will not be released until all the defects have been fixed and R25 000 in impoundment fees has been paid. The suspects will appear in court soon.”
It said between January 2021 and September 2022, more than 370 people were killed in truck-related crashes.
“We would like to warn truck operators that their licences will be suspended and criminal charges laid against them for failing to ensure that their vehicles are in a roadworthy condition to be operated on the roads.”
However, people in the comments believe the trucking company owners should be the ones in handcuffs.
Vho-Dzebu Rakhumba said most drivers are forced to drive trucks in this condition or they are fired.
“No need to blame the driver, only if he owns the truck, it would be fair. Please release the innocent breadwinner,” he said.
“Why arrest the driver. We want (the) big fish, fleet managers. How do they allow drivers to drive such unroadworthy fleets putting lives of other road users in danger,” said Bahle Xolani Kanyembe.
“Arrest the employer also as too many get away with it. They know the stage of the trucks or vehicles and still let them drive it. I know people who said straight, ‘you drive or no job’ basically they get away with it,” said Antoinette Robert Krog.
IOL
