Check outstanding fines by phone

A new service allows motorists to check for outstanding fines via cellphone, but Gauteng residents will have to wait a while longer for the offering.

By sending an SMS (at a cost of R3) with licence plate details to 35040, the user will receive an SMS listing outstanding fines as well as the due amount.

The service was developed by mobile solutions company CellSmart Technologies and Belstow Traffic Solutions.

While it is available in most provinces, Gauteng users can expect the service by December at the latest, says CellSmart sales and marketing director Ahmed Kajee. “There is still some red tape to be worked through in that province. We are in negotiations, and are just waiting for the 'OK' from the premier.”

Kajee says users can expect at least a 95% accuracy rate when the service is up and running.

People can locate all records in one place, he says. “Traffic fines are only registered at specific departments. So you might check at the wrong one, and be unaware that you actually do have outstanding fines. This service negates that problem.”

Kajee says a number of businesses have also expressed an interest. Traffic fines are allocated to licence plate numbers, and not ID numbers, so companies such as car dealers and car rentals will now be able to check for fines on their vehicles, he adds.

While the initial offering involves SMSing traffic fine details, Kajee says other services will be added in future. “Once everything is in place and all the municipalities are on board, we want to be able to send pictures from the actual camera to phones by MMS.”

Kajee adds that users paying fines by phone is also a possibility in the future.

While the service should help traffic departments collect more traffic fines, Kajee explains that the service could also “automate and streamline the entire traffic fine industry”.

Studies show that the government loses around R4 billion annually due to the non-payment of traffic fines.

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