JOHANNESBURG - The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) remains steadfast in its mission to intensify its clampdown on unroadworthy vehicles across the city
But the operation has sparked a backlash from Johannesburg residents who say the city's poor road conditions are partly to blame for vehicle damage.
According to the department, any vehicle found with more than three defects is considered unroadworthy and will be pulled off the road.
Among the issues officers look out for are worn tyres, broken or missing lights, cracked windscreens, missing wheel nuts, oil leaks, and faulty indicators or brake lights.
But social media Tsietsi Mohale took to X to express his frustration.
He says, "JMPD must start telling us what do we do with defects caused by road conditions and dilapidated infrastructure around JHB that causes damages to our cars, then we can start talking."
Another user, Ngwenyana Sihlangu, questioned the priorities of the authorities saying no efforts are being made to fix damaged infrastructure.
"Funny how authorities are quick to fine and increase fines while they don't fix infrastructure. Are roads not supposed to be vehicle-worthy before fining motorists? The fine for an expired license while the licence issuing machine is broken," Sihlangu wrote.
Others raised concerns that taxi drivers might be exempt from the crackdown, this despite clear evidence that many operate with visibly damaged or worn-out vehicles.
Patience Molepe pointed out that while laws on roadworthiness have always existed, enforcement has been inconsistent.
"Laws have always been there but never enforced. It seems to be the norm to wait for things to get out of hand before enforcement. Daily, we see vehicles that are visibly unroadworthy & still on the road. Scooters, pedestrians on highways, JMPD present & not stopped. It's a mess," she wrote.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla maintains that that such operations are necessary to get unroadworthy vehicles off the road.
This is because they may result in catastrophic crashes.
At the same breath he affirmed that cars are not the only vehicles under scrutiny and that taxis found to be unroadworthy are impounded immediately, with the possibility of being permanently stopped from public use.