MUNICIPAL COURT NOTICE 5

What are your rights?

• To remain silent;* Accused charged with by-law or traffic-related offences enjoy the Constitutional rights and protections as envisaged by section 35 of the Constitution, 108 of 1996, including the right:
  – Not to be compelled to make any confession or admission that could be used in evidence against them;
  – If arrested or detained, to be brought before a court as soon as reasonably possible;
  – To choose, consult with and be represented by, a legal practitioner, including a legal practitioner assigned to them at state expense if substantial injustice would otherwise result;
  – To be informed of the charge with sufficient detail to answer thereto;
  – To a public trial before an ordinary court;
  – To be presumed innocent;
  – To adduce and challenge evidence; and
  – Not to be compelled to give self-incriminating evidence.

Roadblocks

The Road Traffic Act 29 of 1989 and the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996 empowers traffic officers to hold roadblocks.

• If you are stopped at a roadblock:
  – You have the right to ask to see the traffic officer’s certificate of appointment;
  – The traffic offers may inspect your vehicle to see if it is roadworthy;
  – The traffic officers may inspect your vehicle for defects and other compliance with standard requirements for the class of your vehicle in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions;
  – You may be required to provide your name, address, and other particulars that are necessary to identify you;
  – You may be required to sign any fine handed to you to confirm that you have read and understand the content of the fine.

Note that your signing of a fine does not amount to an admission of guilt
– If you are suspected to be driving under the influence, you may be asked to take a breathalyser test;
– If you are intentionally and unlawfully disrespecting a traffic officer or fail to comply with a lawful request of a traffic officer (including not identifying yourself), they have the right to take you into custody; and
– If you feel you are being victimised, you can ask to be taken to the nearest police station and may lodge a complaint with the relevant traffic authority.

– The South African Police Services Act 68 of 1995 empowers the National or Provincial Police Commissioner to authorise roadblocks at which you and/or your vehicle may be searched.

If you are stopped at such a roadblock, you have the right to ask to see the written approval for the roadblock from the National or Provincial Police Commissioner.

* Note that a search warrant is not required for checks relating to roadworthiness or compliance with standard requirements.

Pay Your Fines Roadblocks

The Municipality has contracted with a third party to assist in the administration and maintenance of fines issued within its jurisdiction.
* Should you have outstanding fines you may be stopped by a traffic officer at a roadblock commonly referred to as the ‘Pay Your Fines Roadblock’ where you shall be notified by this third party of your outstanding fines and received a summary printout of same.

* Note that the Traffic Departments work closely with this third party to ensure compliance, fairness, and justice.
* Upon receipt of your summary printout, you may either choose to settle your fines at the roadblock or you may do representations for reduction or alternatively follow any of the dispute processes.
* Note that a traffic officer or designated official may serve a summons upon you at a Pay Your Fines Roadblock. Signing for the summons does not amount to a guilty plea; you may choose to settle your fines at the roadblock or to follow any of the above processes before or on your court date.

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Munisipale Kennisgewing

Wat is u regte?
•Beskuldigdes wat aangekla word van verordeningsoortredings of verkeersverwante oortredings geniet die grondwetlike regte en beskerming soos bepaal deur artikel 35 van die Grondwet, 108 van 1996, insluitend die reg:
– Tot stilswye;
– Om nie gedwing te word om enige belydenis of erkenning te maak wat as bewys teen hulle gebruik kan word nie;
– Indien gearresteer of aangehou, om so spoedig as moontlik voor ‘n hof gebring te word;
– Om ‘n regspraktisyn te kies, mee te konsulteer en deur ‘n regspraktisyn verteenwoordig te word, insluitend ‘n regspraktisyn wat aan hulle toegewys is op staatskoste indien aansienlike onreg andersins sou plaasvind;
– Om van die aanklag met genoegsame besonderhede in kennis gestel te word om daarop te antwoord;
– Op ‘n openbare verhoor voor ‘n gewone hof;
– Om onskuldig vermoed te word;
– Om getuienis te lei en bewyse te betwis; en
– Om nie gedwing te word om selfinkriminerende getuienis af te lê nie.

Padblokkades
* Die Padverkeerswet 29 van 1989 en die Nasionale Padverkeerswet 93 van 1996 bemagtig verkeersbeamptes om padblokkades te hou. Indien u by ‘n padblokkade gestop word:
– Het u die reg om die verkeersbeampte se aanstellingsertifikaat te sien;
– Mag die verkeersbeamptes u voertuig inspekteer om te sien of dit padwaardig is;
– Mag die verkeersbeamptes u voertuig inspekteer vir gebreke en ander nakoming van standaardvereistes vir die klas van u voertuig in ooreenstemming met die betrokke statutêre bepalings;
– Mag u vereis word om u naam, adres, en ander besonderhede te verskaf ten einde om u te identifiseer;
– Mag u vereis word om enige boete wat aan u oorhandig is, te teken om te bevestig dat u die inhoud van die boete gelees en verstaan het.

Let daarop dat u ondertekening van ‘n boete nie gelykstaande is aan ‘n skulderkenning nie;
– Indien daar vermoed word dat u onder invloed bestuur, mag u versoek word om ‘n alkoholtoetser te ondergaan;
– Indien u opsetlik en wederegtelik ‘n verkeersbeampte minag of nie voldoen aan ‘n wettige versoek van ‘n verkeersbeampte (insluitend om uself te identifiseer), het die beampte die reg om u te arresteer en in aanhouding te neem; en
– Indien u voel dat u viktimiseer word, mag u versoek om na die naaste polisiekantoor geneem te word en ‘n klag by die betrokke verkeersgesag in te dien.

* Die Wet op die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens 68 van 1995 bemagtig die Nasionale of Provinsiale Polisiekommissaris om padblokkades waarby u en/of u voertuig deursoek mag word, te magtig. Indien u by so ‘n padblokkade gestop word, het u die reg om die geskrewe goedkeuring vir die padblokkade van die Nasionale of Provinsiale Polisiekommissaris te sien.
* Let daarop dat ‘n visenteerbrief (soeklasbrief) nie vereis word vir inspeksies met betrekking tot padwaardigheid of nakoming van standaardvereistes vir die klas van u voertuig nie.

Boetebus Blokkades
Die Munisipaliteit het ‘n kontrak met ‘n derde party aangegaan om by te dra tot die administrasie en instandhouding van boetes wat binne sy jurisdiksie uitgereik is.
* Indien u uitstaande boetes het, mag u deur ‘n verkeersbeampte by ‘n padblokkade, algemeen bekend as die ‘Pay Your Fines’ padblokkade, gestop word waar u deur hierdie derde party in kennis gestel sal word van u uitstaande boetes en ‘n opsomming daarvan sal ontvang.
•Let daarop dat die Verkeersdepartemente saamwerk met hierdie derde party om nakoming, billikheid en geregtigheid te verseker.
•Na ontvangs van u opsomming mag u kies om u boetes by die boetebus blokkade te betaal of u mag vertoë rig vir verlaging of alternatiewelik enige van die dispuutprosesse volg.
– Let daarop dat ‘n verkeersbeampte of vredesbeampte’n dagvaarding op u by ‘n boetebus blokkade mag beteken.

Die ondertekening van die dagvaarding beteken nie ‘n skulderkenning nie; en mag u kies om u boetes by die boetebus blokkade te betaal of een van die bogenoemde prosesse voor óf op u hofdatum te volg.