The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), together with 2Big Mobile Applications, has partnered with Vodacom to introduce an SMS traffic offence record system for motorists to check outstanding traffic fines, summons and warrants in real-time.
The SMS service is an extension of an Internet traffic fine system introduced last year. The SMS feature forms part of 2Big Mobile`s Integrated Information System, a five-part project, of which three phases were completed in September.
The first phase provides the JMPD with the functionality to check for outstanding fines by entering a car`s registration number on a cellphone. Phase two monitors and tracks police vehicles. The mobile fine printing facility and Web site were introduced during the third phase of the project.
2Big Mobile`s goal is to create a fully operational Metro Police system by 2030 for the department and ensure the by-law enforcement systems meet global standards.
To check the traffic fines, motorists SMS their ID number to 36997 from any cellphone network provider. Each SMS costs R5.
"First time users will be sent a PIN code by the JMPD for future reference. They will have to resend the PIN code to verify their details. Additional charges will not apply for this function. The user will then be automatically registered in the database and the next time they want to check for traffic fines, they simply dial 36997 and the PIN code," says Edna Mamonyane, JMPD spokesperson.
Mokgatle Maesela, 2Big Mobile Applications executive director, says the SMS solution offers motorists the convenience and time management for checking traffic fines.
The SMS solution supports efforts to improve the JMPD`s service levels and means motorists will no longer have an excuse for not paying traffic fines, says Derrick Masoek, JMPD operations director.
The JMPD adds that another initiative, the offender notification contact centre (OCC), launched in October, is collecting about R1.4 million a month in outstanding traffic fines payments. Around 4 500 offenders are untraceable every month, but the JMPD says it is actively working to find them. At least 1 800 offenders a month now pay up after being contacted by officers from the OCC, says the JMPD.
The JMPD plans to launch a mobile fine payment system and a portal for online fine payments this year.
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