SA cops crack whip on Swazi drivers

This comes amid reports that South African police are cracking the whip on local drivers who do not have a valid SADC driver’s licence.

The Swazi News reported about two weeks ago that South African police were demanding the SADC licence.

If a driver failed to produce it, the driver would be fined E1 500.

Interstate Association Secretary General Ncedi Magagula advised Swazis to use public transport when travelling to South Africa in order to evade arrest.

Magagula mentioned that their members were the first to be affected by this problem.

"We took it up with our government, and it agreed to assist us in obtaining the licences. However, I cannot delve much on details of what transpired.

"We would not like to blame the minister or anyone that the matter has dragged. I understand that the issue was now in Parliament," he said.

Magagula assured that they were following up the matter with the relevant authorities.

When asked how they evade arrest while driving on South African roads, he pointed out that as an association, had they sorted the matter.

"As an industry, we made some means that our members should not be arrested in that country. However, I will not reveal what we did," the Secretary General said.

He advised members of the public to take advantage of the new set-up by using public transport.

Besides evading arrest, Magagula said travelling with public transport was cheaper.

He mentioned that the cost of a single ticket to Johannesburg was E190.

Last week, Minister of Public Works and Transport Ntuthuko Dlamini advised Swazis who were arrested and charged for driving without the current licence to submit their receipts to the ministry.

He said the Swaziland Government would find a way to reimburse those arrested after submitting the proof.

Dlamini explained that Members of Parliament were expected to rectify SADC protocol.

Spokesperson of South Africa’s Transport Ministry when queried about the issue Masibonge Mzwakali had said, "The Department is attending to your query, and will revert in due course."

At the time of compiling this report at about 7pm, Mzwakali had not responded.

COMMENTS:

- Its time we Swazis we do the same thing to the South Africans
September 15, 2012, 1:45 pm, Concerned citizen

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