THE Gauteng department of roads and transport wants to introduce new policies to regulate the towing industry and is holding a series of meetings to discuss this

Yesterday, 200 tow-truck drivers showed up for the first meeting in Johannesburg.

They blocked traffic at the intersection of Village and Loveday streets, in central Joburg, but moved after the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) threatened to give them R1850 traffic fines.

Most of the drivers drove off and did not attend the meeting.

JMPD spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said the traffic jam was due to proper arrangements not having been made for parking.

South African Towing and Recovery Association (Satra) chairperson André van der Merwe said a lot of the drivers abandoned the meeting.

The department's deputy director, Edward Ngqola, said the department had called the meeting to "either confirm or deny" the findings of its recent research into the industry.

Several people who had remained for the meeting walked out during proceedings

Van der Merwe said this was apparently due to the department's Moses Rabothata's objection to the presence of media in the meeting. "They felt that the department was not being transparent in its intentions."

He said Satra was opposed to further policies because existing legislation was not being enforced as vigorously as it should. "Just to keep adding legislation when we have legislation in place is inadequate."

Van der Merwe said tow-truckers' associations work with insurance companies to set rates and agree on business conditions.

Ngqola said: "Communication was clear about what the meeting was to be about but unfortunately there are bad elements within hell-bent on knocking this process because they don't want to be regulated".