City clampdowns bode well for citizens
It was extremely gratifying to be able to report on decisive action by the City of uMhlathuze into issues of concern to residents over the past week
IT was extremely gratifying to be able to report on decisive action by the City of uMhlathuze into issues of concern to residents over the past week.
Unauthorised car lots which have mushroomed and grown over the past two years, saw illegal vehicles sellers taken to task, issued fines, and forced to leave the properties.
They have been a source of major irritation to legitimate used car sales outlets that, as law abiding entities, pay all the municipal and other overhead costs applicable, while they watch fly-by-nights operate with impunity.
Also brought to light in the course of covering the story was the fact that the sale of such vehicles could be linked to the massive cross-border movement of stolen second hand vehicles.
Besides the fact these are seldom roadworthy, they are often not properly registered or simply don’t have the correct documents.
That’s bad news for the buyers who, if he or she is stopped at a roadblock, could find the vehicle immediately confiscated with no recourse to recovering the money paid for the vehicle.
The city also acted against illegal street mechanics, who for many years have been polluting our CBD environment, among others spilling oil onto streets and pavements and into water courses, imposing an additional health hazard.
The argument that they cater for a legitimate need as they serve a market unable to pay the prices charged by conventional motor repair companies, and would be quite happy to relocated close to spare part outlets, was not borne out in Richards Bay.
There, the city has provided facilities at the nearby taxi rank hub, but these remain largely unused.
Finally, the news that traffic speedsters will soon be prosecuted through increased deployment of mobile speed cameras is warmly welcomed, although it may be more necessary and more rewarding to do something about red robot jumpers.
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