The Pretoria City Council has awarded a contract for the outsourced management of its traffic camera law enforcement to a consortium consisting of Labat Traffic Solutions, a subsidiary of JSE-listed Labat Africa, and supplier of traffic camera equipment, Truvelo Manufacturers.
In terms of the five-year contract, Labat Traffic Solutions will provide all equipment necessary to prosecute offenders, as well as maintain this equipment, allowing the municipality to recoup funds and operate within its budget.
Labat`s StarTrap system features an automatic licence plate recognition system, able to read traffic photographs and present the data to an operator for approval. The system dramatically speeds up the process of image scanning, recognition of the offender and issuing of a traffic fine.
StarTrap also features a Web-enabled photo archive which will enable the public to view their photographs over the Internet.
Labat Traffic Solutions director Allan Freinkel says that one of the most exciting parts of the system is a real-time licence plate recognition system which is able to notify officers manning a roadblock to stop a car with outstanding traffic fines and enforce collection.
"Labat Traffic Solutions is offering this infrastructure to the municipalities, consequently supporting the primary needs of traffic departments, which is to reduce carnage and save lives.
"The initiative is in line with Transport Minister Dullah Omar`s `Arrive Alive` road safety campaign, and his recent calls for a partnership against road carnage. He has already intensified camera speed law enforcement on major routes. During the festive season, there is no better deterrent to offenders than a fast, accurate fining system.
"Offenders will have the two Cs option: cash, or the cage. This will significantly increase the credibility of South African law enforcement," says Freinkel.
The system utilises the Truvelo COMBI speed/traffic light camera system, which comprises the speed measuring instrument, a 35mm camera and a digital information recorder. These units combine to provide traffic authorities with accurate, detailed information required to successfully prosecute a traffic offender.
Labat Africa chairman, Joe Modise, says the council`s decision to outsource its traffic law enforcement function is a revolutionary departure from the traditional in-house system, and carries tremendous cost-saving and improved collection benefits. More importantly, the system could go a long way towards stabilising income for under-resourced municipalities.
"Many South African municipalities are struggling to build an efficient revenue base due to historic and other problems. The StarTrap system has the potential to start turning this situation around, by ensuring a greater volume of fines are issued at a faster rate.
"This contract is also in line with Labat`s policy of bringing the best private sector practices to the public sector," he says.
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