The Atteridgeville regional court has fined a driver for trying to bribe traffic cops with R200.

Thabani Nqakula is a taxi driver in Pretoria who was stopped in January, because his taxi was unroadworthy.

“He was arrested immediately and charged with bribery,” Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane said.

On Monday, “the court found him guilty of the charge and sentenced him to six months imprisonment or a R3,000 fine. He was further given a three-year sentence suspended for five years.”

Zwane said the national traffic police have arrested about 50 motorists for bribery since the start of 2019.

RTMC CEO Makhosini Msibi believes the conviction will send a message to motorists that they can “no longer break traffic laws with impunity”.

“Our traffic officers are no longer prepared to have their good name tarnished by motorists who are not prepared to obey the rules of the road.”