Cape Town may seize driver cellphones

Cape Town traffic officers nabbed 19 drivers using their cellphones within 90 minutes of the start of an awareness campaign, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

Sunday newspaper Rapport reported the city was now considering starting a database so that by a third similar offence, the offender’s cellphone would be seized.

Such an offender would be allowed to remove the SIM card but would only get the phone back after a payment.

Driving with a cellphone in your hand may cost you a fine of R500.

Johannesburg metro police spokeswoman Supt Edna Mamonyane said it was becoming a serious problem as innocent people died due to drivers who used their cellphones behind the wheel.