Joburg responds to R7,000 traffic fine squeeze
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has denied that traffic officers are being pushed to collect R7,000 in traffic fines per day.
This follows claims from Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng spokesperson for community safety, Michael Sun, who alleged that officers told the party they are under pressure to meet this target.
Sun added that the party was told by officers that if they met the daily fine targets, they would be offered overtime payments.
This encouraged them to focus on issuing fines rather than on bylaw enforcement, traffic management, and crime prevention.
Sun argued that the tactic would shift the focus of policing from public safety to revenue collection.
The DA said it it believes this is contributing to increased roadblocks across the city, especially at busy intersections.
It said many of these are labelled as “roadside checks” to avoid stricter legal requirements set out in the National Road Traffic Act and SAPS Standing Orders.
These requirements include authorisation from a senior officer, proper signage, and adequate warning to motorists.
Sun argued that without these safeguards, such operations are not aimed at improving road safety or traffic flow but at collecting fines from motorists.
The DA called on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to step in, remove any revenue-based policing targets, and ensure that JMPD officers focus on their core duties.
It also submitted questions to Premier Lesufi asking for clarity on the legality of these instructions, the roadblocks, and the use of public resources.
However, following the allegations, the JMPD denied the claims, saying that no quotas are in place.
The JMPD emphasised that its primary mission is to maintain safety and order on the city’s roads, rather than to generate revenue.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla stated that traffic fines are issued based on observed infractions, not to meet any revenue targets.
“It is important to clarify that while issuing citations is a necessary part of enforcing traffic regulations, there is no quota system that officers are required to follow,” he explained.
“The department’s focus is on ensuring compliance with traffic laws to prevent accidents and protect the lives of all road users, not on generating a specific number of traffic fines.”
Fihla added that the performance of officers is assessed based on their overall effectiveness in creating a safer environment for the community, including the issuance of citations, rather than by a predetermined target for fines.
“The integrity of our operations is paramount, and all actions are carried out in strict accordance with the law.”
Action is needed now
The allegations of pressuring traffic officers to collect more revenue come as the City of Johannesburg faces a severe financial crisis.
The Auditor-General has flagged over R22 billion in irregular expenditure and hundreds of millions in wasteful spending.
National Treasury has warned that funding to the city could be cut if no action is taken, and Mayor Dada Morero has been given 14 days to respond.
Julius Kleynhans, Executive Manager for Local Government at the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), said the city’s financial troubles are largely due to a lack of accountability.
“Over a year ago, we saw a billion rand taken back by Treasury from conditional grants that were unspent. When those in charge don’t spend allocated money, they should be held to account,” he said.
“Over the last five years, Johannesburg has been a target for looting, and when no action is taken against those responsible, it raises questions about whether leaders are involved.”
Kleynhans said the city needs stronger oversight from council, competent administration free from political interference, and performance measures that promote service delivery and economic growth.
“Last year, the city received R7.12 billion for free basic services, yet it cannot account for the households that benefited. The same goes for infrastructure grants. Residents can see the money hasn’t been used effectively,” he said.
While Mayor Morero has launched a “bomb squad” to speed up service delivery, Kleynhans believes this will have little impact without changes in leadership.
“If the mayor were serious, those who failed to do their jobs would have been removed already. Instead, new layers are being added above ineffective staff,” he said.
Kleynhans warned that Johannesburg is close to a collapse in governance, pointing out that the city has already passed unfunded budgets, which he said is illegal.
He called for properly qualified councillors, stronger accountability measures, and more independence in oversight roles like the municipal public accounts committee.
Despite the problems, he believes there are many skilled and committed municipal employees who could help the city function well if given the right leadership.
“If we had competent leaders in place, the system could work, but the political issues must stop,” he said.
With the city now under pressure to present a plan to curb wasteful expenditure, Kleynhans said real action is needed.
“We’ve seen enough plans on paper. Unless the lack of consequence management is addressed, the city will not turn itself around. Only when people are held accountable for poor performance or misuse of funds will we see change.”
BusinessTech asked the City of Joburg to comment on the reported traffic fines instruction and will add it once it is received.
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