Makoma Makhurupetje, the MEC for Transport and Community Safety in Limpopo has commended the Provincial Traffic Police Officers from
Polokwane Traffic Control Centre (PTCC) for their non-nonsense zero-tolerance approach against law breakers.
This comes after the Provincial Traffic Police Officers were forced to pursue an overloaded vehicle after the driver refused to comply with the officers orders to stop at the weighbridge along the N1 on Sunday, said Matome Moremi Taueatsoala, spokesperson for the department.
“When the driver was instructed to stop at the weighbridge he continued driving towards Polokwane and ignored the attempts of the officers to stop him. He attempted to flee the pursuing officers by driving through red robots and overtaking unsafely. When the officers forced the vehicle to a stop, three passengers alighted from the combi and started arguing with and threatening the traffic officers while the driver of the vehicle fled the scene.”
The three passengers were arrested and charged with interference and obstruction of justice and are due to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court within 48 hours.
SAPS Members and Provincial Traffic Police Officers from Polokwane Provincial Accident Unit assisted in apprehending the accused.
After effecting arrests on the passengers, the vehicle was driven to the weighbridge where it was found to be overloaded by 4,96 tons GCM. The trailer was found to be overloaded by 1.7 tons, he said.
The vehicle is still at Polokwane Provincial Traffic Control Centre premises awaiting for the driver’s arrival where he is expected to be charged with among others; overloading, inconsiderate driving and failure to comply with instructions of a traffic officer, he added.
“We sincerely wish to thank our traffic officers for a job well done. Overloading remains a serious offence which is punishable by the law. What our traffic officers did is commendable indeed, as some of our major accidents on the N1 can be attributed to overloading. Anyone who tries to take chances by overloading their vehicles and running away from justice will not be spared the long arm of the law. I fully commend our traffic officers for their unrelenting spirit in pursuing culprits in this incident and further believe that the driver of the vehicle will soon be caught. The incarceration of these three passengers must serve as a deterrent to other road users who fail to cooperate with law enforcement officers,” concluded MEC Makhurupetje