OR Tambo Road and Mandela Street have recently been hosting four new visitors; moveable, automated speeding cameras.
The requirements for the placing of legal speeding cameras are that the operator of the speeding equipment be in possession of a valid operator’s certificate and a calibration certificate no older than 12 months that is to be reissued after every repair.
After enquiry by concerned citizens WITBANK NEWS approached Emalahleni Local Municipality’s department of community services for clarification on the legality of the new speeding cameras.
Examples of the operators’ certificates and calibration certificates which have been issued in relation to the new speeding cameras.
Chief traffic officer Mr Colly Mnisi welcomed WITBANK NEWS into his office and explained the origins of the new speeding cameras.
He stated that the municipality had been considering deploying these speeding cameras for about two years due to the escalating number of fatalities suffered on OR Tambo Road and Mandela Street.
He said that the pure fact that OR Tambo Road had been nicknamed “The Road of Death” warranted action from the municipality.
ALSO READ
New speeding camera woes? Here’s how to get rid of them
Accident claims life of young mother
Mr Mnisi explained that the speeding cameras had not been erected as a money-making scheme, but out of genuine concern for the road users of eMalahleni.
He held that the municipality believed all of the aforementioned fatalities were due to speeding, and that they could be avoided in future by assuring that road users adhere to the set speed limits.
He explained that the municipality had received approval from the director of public prosecutions to erect these mobile speeding cameras, and proudly brandished the numerous calibration and operator’s certificates pertaining to the speeding cameras. The operators’ certificates were issued as recently as last month.
Mr Mnisi further explained that the speeding cameras would not be permanently resident on OR Tambo Road and on Mandela Street, but that they would be moved around within eMalahleni, including areas such as Kriel and Ogies, and the sections of the N4 and N12 that fall under eMalahleni’s jurisdiction.
He stated that road users would thus need to monitor their speed wherever they are within eMalahleni, as they might be surprised to find themselves caught-out by a speeding camera.
Furthermore, Mr Mnisi said that despite the fact that the speeding cameras are currently being picked up at night, and being brought back in the morning, that eMalahleni would soon be under their wakeful watch during the evening as well due to the fact that the municipality was looking into investing in an adaptation which will allow the speeding cameras to function in low-light as well.
Mr Mnisi said that the road-users who had been driving over the speed limit on OR Tambo Road and Mandela Street would start receiving their fines soon, if they have not already received them, and cautioned that road users who did not pay their fines would be prosecuted
“Don’t be fooled. Speed kills!” he explained, “we do not want your money; we want to save your life.”
Mr Howard Dembovsky, the chairman of Justice Project South Africa, explained that it was perfectly legal for these speeding cameras to be moved about within eMalahleni, as long as they were set up correctly each time they were re-deployed.
Chief traffic officer Mr Colly Mnisi (left) and communications officer Mr Lebo Mafokane (right) holding the new speeding cameras’ operators’ certificates and calibration certificates.
When asked whether the speed limit of the road needed to be clearly visible once these speeding cameras start being relocated to different roads within the city, Mr Dembovsky stated “there is no law which states that the general speed limit must be displayed on a road traffic sign at all.
“Every licensed driver should know what the general speed limit is and I can assure you that a great many don’t.”
“Everyone knows that the general speed limit in an urban area is 60km/h unless there is a sign stating differently. Also everyone knows that the general speed limit on a freeway is 120km/h unless there is a sign prescribing a lower speed limit. But when it comes to a road outside of an urban area which is not a freeway, then you would be surprised how few people know that the general speed limit there is 100km/h – not 120km/h or 80km/h.”
It seems that the speeding cameras, eMalahleni’s “unwelcome visitors”, are here to stay and that perhaps the best course of action would be to stay alert and aware of the speed limits relating to the roads we’re driving on.
