There has been some confusion among Johannesburg motorists who have recently committed traffic violations. Paying the fine, it seems, is not an easy process.
There has been some confusion among Johannesburg motorists who have recently commited traffic violations. Paying the fine, it seems, is not an easy process.
reports that Chris Woodgate spent two hours in custody on Monday after trying to pay an outstanding fine by credit card.
He was fined in April for crossing a yellow barrier line. He did not pay the fine or show up in court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On Monday he tried to pay the R500 fine by credit card, but discovered that only cash was accepted.
He was not allowed to leave to draw money, but was arrested and held until his wife brought the money.
"I don’t know how I would have paid if I didn’t have someone to bring me the money," Woodgate told the newspaper.
A Johannesburg Metropolitan Police spokesman said that traffic fines could be paid with credit cards or cheques if paid on time. But Woodgate had not done so. He said the big issue was the contempt of court charge for not showing up in court when he was supposed to. “That charge can only be paid in cash according to the Department of Justice rules,” said the spokesman.
Meanwhile reported last week that another Johannesburg motorist had paid a R200 traffic fine at a police station, but later received a warrant for his arrest saying he had not paid up.
The motorist, who did not want to be named, said when he went to ask about it, he was told there was a 161-day delay between the time the fines paid at police stations and their being received and recorded at the court. "I am now in a panic because if I get stopped at a roadblock I will be arrested," he said.
A spokesperson has advised drivers to pay fines directly at the Johannesburg traffic department or by credit card over the phone.
