TMPD snatch tuk-tuks for contravening road traffic regulations

If there’s one thing weighing heavily on President Cyril Ramaphosa, it’s the unemployment crisis, but some people are not playing their part when it comes to keeping the money rolling in for the jobs they already have.

This week, the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) impounded 38 tuk-tuk vehicles for various offences, including failure to provide operators’ permits, expired licence discs and for driving without licence cards.

TMPD spokesperson senior superintendent Isaac Mahamba said only those vehicles that did not comply with road traffic regulations were impounded.

“If a vehicle is impounded, when you pay the fine you get your car back,” he said.

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In Eersterust, the red, blue, yellow and black tuk-tuk vehicles drive around the streets transporting residents in the area. Tuk-tuk driver Nathaniel Adams was waiting to pick up passengers at a local shopping centre.

He said not all drivers were operating illegally and many were up to date. “I believe this service helps the community,” he said.

The interview was cut short when a passenger approached the tuk-tuk with R20 in his hand.

Rillibet Mufalanga has been a tuk-tuk driver for the past six months.

“I enjoy it. It feels like driving a stable motorbike,” he said.

Mufalanga said for R12 a resident could go anywhere in Eersterust and be dropped off at their front door, unlike in the case of the traditional taxis.

The three-wheel tuk-tuks can take up to three passengers in the back at a time.

“When they came to inspect us, it was painful. We put food on the table with these tuk-tuks,” he said.

A resident who was walking to a nearby shop agreed to talk anonymously.

“A lot of people use a tuk-tuk because they don’t want to walk in the sun,” she said.

The resident said some of the tuk-tuk drivers did drive recklessly.

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“There was one that overturned last week at Kingfisher Park where the passenger who was hurt was left in the street and the driver fled,” she said.

Another resident said he would rather walk. “Two weeks ago, I heard someone had died in an accident,” he said. This resident said some of the tuk-tuk drivers were delivering drugs for drug dealers in the area.

Tuk-tuk driver Miloh Jacobs said not all of the drivers were compliant with road and vehicle regulations.

“Let’s face the facts – there are troublemakers,” he said. Jacobs said there were about 300 to 400 tuk-tuks in the area.

“Imagine how many families this feeds in this community alone,” he said.