BONUS - RUSTENBURG - Rob Hutchinson, Founder of Dear South Africa, has recently released a statement asking, "Are the traffic fines in your name all yours?"
Hutchinson commented, "Judging from the feedback I received, the issue of incorrect fines is substantially greater than I thought."
Cloning of number plates has become such a problem countrywide that the Gauteng Provincial Government recently launched the pilot of a new licence plate system, which will run for six months before rolling out across the province, and ultimately the country.
According to the authorities, the new plates make use of technological advancements that are aimed at tracking criminal activities, such as vehicle theft, fraud and cloning. Currently, road users may face an uphill battle trying to prove their innocence over speeding fines accumulated in their name due to criminals cloning their number plates.
According to Jackie Nagtegaal, Managing Director at Law For All, the onus is on the legitimate owner, to prove their innocence, as "motorists can commit traffic crimes” without their knowledge.
In most cases, vehicle owners may not even realise that they have a fine, therefore, it is vital to check for fines listed in your name. An overdue fine, whether yours or not, could result in a warrant for your arrest. Being handed a warrant at a roadblock would be an unfortunate and abrupt end to your journey.
Motorists may go onto https://portal.finessa.co.za to check if there are any outstanding fines listed under their name. Should a fine show up on the system, you can decide to ignore, dispute or pay –and some municipalities will offer you up to 50% off the fine - if paid in time.
Checking for fines is by no means an acknowledgement of guilt and your personal info will remain safe.
How to dispute a fine
* Submit a written representation to the issuing authority, explaining the reason for the dispute
* Provide supporting evidence, such as proof of incorrect details, invalid certification, or documentation showing you were not the driver
* Await feedback from the relevant municipality, as they will assess whether the fine remains valid or should be withdrawn.
