Three traffic officers have been arrested in Mpumalanga for corruption and bribery.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation confirmed recently.
In a joint operation, the Corporation’s National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit and the Hawks swooped on the officers employed by Emalahleni Local Municipality as they reported for work today.
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It is alleged that the officers aged 59, 53 and 38 accepted bribes from motorists instead of charging them for traffic violations. They are expected to appear in court later today.
Meanwhile, more than 3000 motorists have been arrested throughout the country for violating traffic regulation since the start of December.
The majority of suspects (1328 or 43%) were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. A total of 496 or 16% were arrested for driving speeds above the legal limit.
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The highest number of drunk drivers were arrested in Gauteng and Limpopo where 372 and 342 arrests were made respectively. The National Traffic Police arrested 352 motorists in the different provinces where it is deployed.
The highest number of arrests for speed were made in the Free State province where 323 motorists were caught. The highest speed recorded was on the N1 near Ventersburg where a motorists was caught driving at 242 kilometres an hour in a 120 kilometre zone.
Some of the common offences noticed so far involve people driving without driver’s licences, producing false documentation, reckless and negligent driving, over of goods and operating public transport contrary to the terms and condition of an operating permits.
Law enforcement authorities are now moving their focus into residential areas to curb lawlessness and prevent collisions involving pedestrians.
Enforcement will be intensified ahead of and during the News Year’s Day long weekend. Officers are preparing themselves for increased traffic volumes expected at the end of the festive season holidays.
