Roadblocks across Gauteng - featuring e-toll-branded vehicles - have caused a panic and confusion among anti-toll factions and motorists.
This comes after the Gauteng Department of Community Safety (GDCS) set up roadblocks across the province yesterday, in an initiative the body says was focused purely on vehicle and driver fitness.
However, Justice Project SA (JPSA) says it received numerous reports of motorists being pulled over and grilled as to why they are not in possession of an e-tag. The association is investigating the reports, but has reiterated motorists without an e-tag are not breaking the law and cannot be brought to book.
While the GDCS says its operations should not be misconstrued for anything other than law enforcement, the heavy orange e-toll branding at the sites raised eyebrows and questions.
Line of questioning
"At first we assumed these roadblocks were merely being used to check for false, cloned, altered, obscured and missing number plates as would be consistent with proper physical visible policing," says JPSA.
However, the association says, it soon came to its attention that motorists with no vehicle defects had been stopped at an Atlas Road roadblock and asked why they did not have an e-tag and why they were driving on the e-toll roads without an e-tag. Officials allegedly recorded these motorists' names and ID numbers.
E-toll body, the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral), has denied this, saying claims that motorists were interrogated about e-tags are implausible. "Sanral does not do law enforcement on the roads, but the competent authorities (in this case GDCS) does. Having an e-tag is not a legal requirement and it is therefore inconceivable that such questions would have been asked."
JPSA chairman Howard Dembovsky says the roadblocks (reportedly set up at the Rigel, Allandale, Malibongwe and Atlas Road offramps) were said to be an effort to enforce traffic laws - which is a commendable initiative by the authorities. However, he notes, the heavily branded e-toll trucks at the sites created "mass panic", with many motorists assuming they were there to enforce outstanding e-tolls.
Dembovsky says JPSA has no problem whatsoever with traffic police enforcing general traffic laws and checking vehicle and driver fitness, "[but] if people are to be intimidated by asking them about requirements that don't exist, then we do have a problem and will take the appropriate action".
Seeking clarity
JPSA says it has been in touch with a senior GDCS officer to ascertain the truth about what the roadblocks entail. The association was assured all exercises in the northern parts of Johannesburg and Pretoria were in connection with defective number plates, licence discs and other vehicle/driver defects.
"We have lodged a complaint with respect to what allegedly happened at Atlas Road and will be forwarding motorists' complaints to GDCS for action," says Dembovsky, noting the Atlas Road roadblock packed up and left at around 1.15pm.
Meanwhile, the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has taken to social media to tell motorists they "need not fear" because it is legal to drive without an e-tag. Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage says the branded vehicles were seen as a marketing and intimidation strategy.
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