Motorists pay for municipal strike
HE HAS described it as “stealing residents’ money”. This was the reaction of a Vryheid resident, who does not wish to be identified, who paid the penalty of the municipal workers’ strike. His car licence was due. He went three times to pay it but the licencing office was closed – the workers on strike. …
HE HAS described it as “stealing residents’ money”. This was the reaction of a Vryheid resident, who does not wish to be identified, who paid the penalty of the municipal workers’ strike.
His car licence was due. He went three times to pay it but the licencing office was closed – the workers on strike. The 21-day “grace period” passed, and at the first opportunity last week Monday, when the office reopened, he went to renew the licence.
He was charged a penalty of R44 for being late with his payment. He protested but the cashier turned a deaf ear.
“It’s not right that they can do what they want,” the resident said last week. “It’s not right that they charge for something, then when I want to pay I can’t, and then they fine me. It’s not right! It’s not the amount of money, it’s the principle!”
He said that there were three other people in the line with him that Monday, and that they were all penalised. “It’s taking money illegally from the citizens,” was his opinion.
When spoken to about the matter, the licencing department was unsympathetic saying that the licence could have been renewed in Paulpietersburg or any other licencing office in KZN.
It would appear that the NATIS system, based in Pietermaritzburg, that governs KZN licencing, automatically generates the licence renewal form, and automatically generates any penalties for late payment. The computer is unaware of striking workers anywhere, and will simply record an unusual number of NV-registered vehicles attracting penalties in October 2014. Computers don’t know about principles.
