By JOHANNESBURG — In an aggressive push to rid provincial roads of dangerous public transport vehicles, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has commended the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI) for a robust series of high-impact enforcement operations.
Carried out between 21 and 27 September 2026 in collaboration with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and other law enforcement agencies, the latest crackdown forms a core part of the Department’s ongoing #RemoveSkorokoro campaign.
The initiative targets major public transport corridors to clamp down on unroadworthy vehicles, fraudulent or missing documentation, and blatant driver non-compliance.
Alarming Levels of Non-Compliance Uncovered
The week-long operations exposed severe safety hazards across Gauteng’s major metropolitan areas. GTI officers clamped down hard on mechanical failures, immediately discontinuing eighteen (18) minibuses that posed an immediate and critical risk to passengers and other road users.
Inspectors uncovered terrifying mechanical defects, including defective braking systems, worn-out tyres, non-functional headlights and brake lights, and faulty indicators.
Across the province, a total of forty-three (43) discontinuation notices were issued, broken down regionally as follows:
- Johannesburg: 23 notices
- Ekurhuleni: 11 notices
- Tshwane: 9 notices
Beyond unroadworthy vehicles, the inspections revealed deeply concerning levels of operator lawlessness. Officers found 62 minibuses operating without valid licence discs and a staggering 105 minibus taxi drivers operating without valid driving licences. Furthermore, two motorists were arrested on charges of driving under the influence (DUI), underscoring the lethal risks posed by reckless behaviour behind the wheel.
Enforcing Accountability Through AARTO
To ensure that traffic violations face swift legal consequences, law enforcement officers issued a combined total of 1,458 infringement notices during the week-long blitz:
- Handwritten AARTO Infringements: 779 total notices issued (305 in Johannesburg, 312 in Tshwane, and 162 in Ekurhuleni).
- Electronic e-Force Infringements: 679 total notices processed via electronic devices (281 in Johannesburg, 220 in Tshwane, and 178 in Ekurhuleni).
A Zero-Tolerance Stance on Road Safety
Addressing the dismal finding of triple-digit unlicensed drivers, MEC Diale-Tlabela emphasized that such habitual disregard for the law requires urgent, sustained intervention and deeper cooperation with the public transport industry.
“The latest enforcement results demonstrate the importance of continued law enforcement along our public transport corridors,” MEC Diale-Tlabela stated. “We will continue working with law-enforcement agencies and the public transport industry to ensure that drivers and vehicles comply with the law and that the safety of passengers and other road users remains a priority”.
Reiterating the Department’s unyielding position, the MEC warned that authorities will not compromise when human lives are on the line. Through persistent enforcement, inter-agency synergy, and stakeholder engagement, the province aims to anchor commuter safety firmly in regulatory compliance.
