The Democratic Alliance on Wednesday called the asset forfeiture unit’s reported intention to confiscate vehicles of drivers caught travelling at 30kph over the speed limit ”disproportionate”.
The party’s justice spokesperson, Sheila Camerer, and transport spokesperson Stuart Farrow said in a statement that while the DA supports the terrorising of drunken and reckless drivers, the Scorpions must ensure that their actions pass constitutional muster and do not punish the innocent.
”The possibly unintended consequences of such confiscations should not punish innocent people such as a spouse who needs the vehicle for the purposes of the family income or to care for children,” read the statement.
The DA said the focus should really be on adequate law enforcement.
”If there were enough traffic officers patrolling our roads and catching speedsters more regularly, there would not be a need for such desperate measures.”
It added that many vehicles are either company cars or owned by the institutions that are financing them.
”It is clear that the Scorpions and the asset forfeiture unit have got a bit of homework to do if they are to make this initial sabre-rattling exercise a feature of the government’s plan to improve safety on our roads.
”There is a clear need to get the cooperation of the financial institutions involved.” — Sapa