As part of commemorating Women’s Month, Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison together with South African Police Services and other stakeholders are out in full force to enforce the law.
This culminated into several road blocks that were manned by women only. The focus of the roadblock was on road safety education. According to Ms. Louisa Aphane, a Control Provincial Inspector in the Department, as much as they are out there as traffic officers to enforce the law, motorists need to be educated in order to instil good driver behaviour.
Two roadblocks have already been staged in Middelburg and Belfast last week on August 10 and 11 respectively where over 1300 vehicles were stopped and checked, others were weighed and motorists educated about the importance of road safety.
214 fines were issued for different violations including overloading, speeding, driving a vehicle with defects such as broken windscreen, dysfunctional brakes, faulty reverse lights and failure to produce valid driving and vehicle documentation. 15 drivers were further served for notices to discontinue their vehicles.
Meanwhile, five drivers were nabbed in Ehlanzeni Region over the weekend because they were suspected of operating their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol.
Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Pat Ngomane has applauded the women saying that their efforts were not in vain and that they have once more proved that women are also capable as law enforcers. “We are proud to have such hardworking women who are not afraid to go out there to road users who are at times are aggressive and difficult to deal with. We must therefore deal with those who think they will just do as they please when approached by women law enforcers,” he said.
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He mentioned that this operation was not only to celebrate Women’s Month, but also to fight against the abuse of women officers by either their male colleagues or members of the community. “This must therefore show us that women are capable too, they can equally perform what other male officers perform. We need to support them as male colleagues and stop looking down at them,” said Ngomane.
