Provincial and Municipal Traffic Officials Extorting Money From both Foreign and Local Tourists alike

It has come to our notice on a number of occasions that both Municipal and Provincial Traffic Officers are demanding “spot”money from International and Local tourists alike along our highways and byways. These culprits are demanding “spot” money on reduced fines with impunity from terrified or corrupt road users that are only too pleased to avoid any further confrontation or inconvenience, whether they have committed an offense or not.

This  situation is untenable.

Nowhere in a first world country is this type of malpractice tolerated whatsoever, and if this type of activity is allowed to flourish in this country, it will cause massive tourism brand compromisation with a never ending further distrust of our Law and Order capability throughout South Africa. Even if we manage to stamp out this practice, the  kind of damage that will have been caused will take years of effort to rectify -  if we are ever trusted again. Further it could also  lead to  anarchy amongst others  with criminal tendencies, if they see how easy it is to squeeze money out of travellers in South Africa on whatever pretext.

In fact, we managed to have two of the offenders arrested by acting timeously. Unfortunately the victims declined to press charges because of logistical complications, and that they had in any case received their money back. The one offender was pleaded for by his Superior, in front of the Local Magistrate, not to have a criminal case opened, but rather to have an internal disciplinary hearing whereby the guilty Officer would be relieved of his post. Apparently all Officers are on the take (from what their Superior had to say), and that if appropriate action is taken, it could result in the whole contingent being fired eventually, and then there would be nobody to offer any kind of service at all. It makes me think that their Superior was perhaps in on the deal !

The more guilty parties are culprits who have broken the Law, and then bribe the Officers involved to lower the fine and take the money for themselves. After all- who would be any the wiser without a paper-trail ? This is happening on a large scale.

The point is – corruption is rife at all levels in South Africa today. At the rate things are going, it could eventually totally destroy any vestige of the fabric of a civilized moral society.

In the First World this kind of rot is not tolerated. However, with the general breakdown of moral standards and lack of basic discipline on so many fronts everywhere, it is not surprising that corruption is making itself felt, and things could get worse.

Travellers must under no circumstances allow Officers of the Law to intimidate them. If there is any hint of corruption they must refuse to pay any form of payment to an Officer because it against the Law for him to accept payment. The traveller must then insist on being able to proceed to a Police Station or Magistrate’s Court, in convoy with the Officer involved, and to put their case to the relevant Authority or Station Commander.