/ 15 March 2006

Cape Town considers hefty fine for stompie litterers

A fine of R2 000 for motorists throwing cigarette butts from their cars may soon be a reality in Cape Town, the Cape Times reported on Wednesday.

Its website said this was expected to happen in terms of a proposed amendment to a community fire safety by-law.

Denzil Ramedies, an assistant divisional officer of the fire safety section of the council, said the fine could be up to R2 000.

”We’re busy setting the amount, but it will probably be in the region of R1 500 and R2 000,” he said.

Ramedies acknowledged the amount was high, considering that the fine for driving through a red traffic light was R500 and that for ignoring a stop sign, R300.

A devastating fire season in the Cape Town area left a British tourist dead, several homes damaged and extensive tracts of fynbos destroyed. – Sapa