I also acknowledge that motorists should give one another a chance to go through, but because of the country's culture of violence, motorists are aggressive and not corporative.
My question is: Who should control traffic when the robots are out of order? Many a times when robots are not working in the city, the traffic cops are nowhere to be seen.
Yes, it is not possible that they can be all over where robots are not working.
What I have observed about traffic cops is that they go for soft targets. I am not implying that people should not be fined when they violate traffic laws.
Motorists violate rules of the roads in front of the traffic cops but they turn a blind eye as if nothing has happened.
Taxi drivers in particular are the worst culprits. The other day a taxi driver was facing oncoming traffic and was stopped by a traffic cop who issued him with a fine, but the taxi driver tore the ticket in front of the officer.
Taxi drivers owe billions of rand and if this money was paid it would boost the city's revenue. But the city is afraid to confront taxi owners and their drivers. So the lawlessness continues.
N'wabvenula Phangani
Mamelodi West
Officers ignore traffic chaos
On Friday at 10.45am, robots at the corner of Lilian Ngoyi and Madiba streets in Pretoria were out of order. These two streets are very busy as they are also used by taxis.
When I approached the robots, I was shocked to see three traffic officers standing on the pavement talking and laughing despite the chaos so close to them.
I asked them why they just standing there doing nothing instead of directing the traffic. They just looked at me and offered no response.
I told them it was their responsibility to ensure that when robots are out of order, they should step in and direct the traffic. The City of Tshwane pay them to do their job.
Pedestrians were also in danger of being knocked down by vehicles.
I also acknowledge that motorists should give one another a chance to go through, but because of the country's culture of violence, motorists are aggressive and not corporative.
My question is: Who should control traffic when the robots are out of order? Many a times when robots are not working in the city, the traffic cops are nowhere to be seen.
Yes, it is not possible that they can be all over where robots are not working.
What I have observed about traffic cops is that they go for soft targets. I am not implying that people should not be fined when they violate traffic laws.
Motorists violate rules of the roads in front of the traffic cops but they turn a blind eye as if nothing has happened.
Taxi drivers in particular are the worst culprits. The other day a taxi driver was facing oncoming traffic and was stopped by a traffic cop who issued him with a fine, but the taxi driver tore the ticket in front of the officer.
Taxi drivers owe billions of rand and if this money was paid it would boost the city's revenue. But the city is afraid to confront taxi owners and their drivers. So the lawlessness continues.
N'wabvenula Phangani
Mamelodi West