Number plate recognition technology led to the arrest on Tuesday of a 24-year-old minibus taxi driver with 50 outstanding warrants worth R132,000 and outstanding fines of R241,000 in Cape Town.
A city traffic enforcement officer pulled over the driver in Voortrekker Road, Parow, after scanning the number plate on a minibus taxi using an in-vehicle camera.
A check on the driver’s ID number revealed the 50 outstanding warrants and outstanding fines not yet in the summons stage. The overall tally owed is R374,300.
Tech puts brakes on taxi driver, 24, facing fines worth nearly R400k
Image: Supplied
Number plate recognition technology led to the arrest on Tuesday of a 24-year-old minibus taxi driver with 50 outstanding warrants worth R132,000 and outstanding fines of R241,000 in Cape Town.
A city traffic enforcement officer pulled over the driver in Voortrekker Road, Parow, after scanning the number plate on a minibus taxi using an in-vehicle camera.
A check on the driver’s ID number revealed the 50 outstanding warrants and outstanding fines not yet in the summons stage. The overall tally owed is R374,300.
More Cape Town drivers with unpaid fines end up in jail
The driver was arrested and his vehicle impounded as he did not have a valid operating licence.
“We speak often of people who have no regard for law and order. This would be one such example,” said safety and security MMC JP Smith.
“These numbers are absolutely staggering. Can you imagine how many transgressions one would have to commit in a short space of time to rack up that amount in fines? On the upside, this is also an example of how we are putting technology to use to catch lawbreakers.”
TimesLIVE
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