The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JPMD) on Tuesday launched a computerised network system to enable officers to re-issue summonses and warrants of arrest to offenders on the spot.
The result of a partnership between the department and 2Big Mobile Applications, the system is aimed at dealing with the legal issues that have arisen regarding the arrests of motorists for outstanding fines without showing them a warrant.
”As you are aware, the department has been under pressure with the issue of the enforcement of warrants,” Director Chris Ngcobo, chief of police, said.
”Inability to produce them on the road has caused a big outcry.”
A recent report by the JMPD had shown that there were about 750 000 cases of unresolved traffic cases, either because the motorists had not received their traffic fines or the summons had not been delivered.
On Tuesday, motorists on the corner of Sauer Street and Village Road in Johannesburg were shown the new programme, called the Integrated Management System (I2MS).
Motorists were stopped and their ID numbers and car registration numbers were used to check whether they had any outstanding warrants or summonses. The system allows officers to see if a motorist had a warrant issued on their behalf that had not yet been signed by a magistrate.
”People will not be arrested if the warrant has not been signed. Only those with warrants that have been signed can, and will, be arrested,” JMPD spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said.
She said I2MS would also assist the department with ”stagnant” cases. She said these were cases where a summons was not delivered to the person due to a change of address or because the offender was not at home whenever a court official was there to present it.
”But people should remember that anyone who is over the age of 16 can sign for a summons. This can be your daughter or helper. We will not accept it if you tell us that they forgot to give it to you,” Mamonyane said.
Offenders with signed warrants of arrest issued for them will be given a print-out.
Mamonyane said the motorist will then have two options — be arrested and taken to the nearest police station, or pay immediately using a credit or debit card.
Director of 2Big Mobile, Mokgatle Maesela, said I2MS will be followed by two other programmes in the next three weeks that will enable motorists to check on a website whether they have warrants of arrests, and also enable them to pay the fines.
Ngcobo said trailers with the mobile system will be dispatched across the city. – Sapa