MBOMBELA – Mpumalanga government officials stationed at the Riverside Government Complex could not escape the wrath of Nyamsoro as hundreds of them opted to pay their outstanding traffic fines on the spot last week rather than be arrested.
The Nyamsoros were posted at the entrance and exit of the complex in the morning and afternoon during two operations that were led by Mpumalanga community safety, security and liaison MEC, Mr Vusi Shongwe.
This assisted the department to recover about R80 000 in traffic fines owed by motorists working around the government complex.
Nyamsoros are the recently introduced automated number-plate recognition vehicles which are used to identify motorists who have outstanding fines or summonses by reading the number plates.
Motorists now have to pay on the spot via electronic payment system that is fitted to the vehicles. They were unveiled three weeks ago during a roadblock that was conducted on the N4 near Mattafin.
Shongwe urged government officials who have outstanding fines to settle them as failure to do so may lead to arrests.
He reiterated his call to public servants and politicians to lead by example and become road-safety ambassadors so that government’s messages are taken seriously by communities.
“We will not tolerate the attitude that government officials and other motorists demonstrate towards obeying the law, we must lead by example.
We need to help government to enhance and promote road safety by being good drivers ourselves,’’ said Shongwe.
He added that Monday’s operation would send a message that government was serious about enhancing road safety and bringing to book all those who break the law, regardless who they are or where they work.
The department will continue to conduct these operations in other government institutions around the province.
