How can one expect residents to obey rules when lawmakers flout them? asks DA

The Democratic Alliance‚ in response to a newspaper photograph reportedly showing City of Johannesburg MMC for Transport Councillor Christine Walter’s car parked in a bicycle lane‚ has questioned how residents can be expected to obey the rules when lawmakers are breaking them.

“It is indeed sad that the MMC for Transport was caught ‘with her hand in the cookie jar’ when her chauffeur driven car was photographed parked in a bicycle lane‚ while it is reported that she quickly went into a shop‚” said DA City of Johannesburg transport spokesperson: Councillor Nico De Jager.

“Commitment to a Greener Mobility is crucial and this does not exempt those responsible for Transport or else it is destined for failure‚” he added.

“How can we expect the residents to obey the rules when our lawmakers are breaking them?” he asked‚ adding that one only had to look at the behaviour of senior ANC members when they “park illegally on Commissioner Street when visiting Luthuli House and the impact that has on congestion in the Inner City”.

In addition‚ he said‚ on Friday evening while travelling on Rivonia road in Sandton‚ he found that the minibus taxis branded with Eco-Mobility signage were double parked outside the Gautrain station‚ causing traffic jams in an area where the lack of synchronised traffic lights further exasperated traffic congestion.

“As much as we all support greener transport the city’s own Transport departments must do their share in easing congestion and not contributing to congestion‚” he asserted.

He added: “It is indeed sad that Rivonia road which is an integral part of the eco-mobility festival cannot get its traffic lights synchronised.”