By The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has intensified its battle against lawlessness on the province’s major public transport corridors. Under the ongoing #RemoveSkorokoro campaign, the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI)—operating in close collaboration with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC)—has stepped up stop-and-search operations across key metropolitan areas, targeting vehicle roadworthiness, driver compliance, and public transport legislation.
A Heavy Toll on Unroadworthy and Unlicensed Operations
Between October 9 and October 25, 2026, enforcement officers clamped down heavily on rogue operators. A total of twenty-five (25) minibuses were officially discontinued from operating after being flagged as severely unroadworthy and posing an immediate danger to commuters and other motorists.
Inspections revealed alarming safety hazards, including defective braking systems, severely worn tyres, faulty indicators, cracked windscreens, and critical engine and mechanical faults.
In total, twenty-six (26) discontinuation notices were issued across Gauteng’s metros:
- Johannesburg: 11 notices
- Tshwane: 10 notices
- Ekurhuleni: 5 notices
Compounding these safety concerns, enforcement teams uncovered rampant administrative non-compliance. Fifty-seven (57) minibus taxis were intercepted operating without valid licence discs, while a staggering one hundred and fifty (150) individuals were found driving without valid driver’s licences.
Criminal Conduct and Arrests
The heightened operations also resulted in ten (10) direct arrests. Among those detained, seven (07) individuals were apprehended for driving under the influence (DUI)—a persistent hazard on South African roads. Furthermore, two (02) suspects were arrested for attempted fraud, and one (01) for bribery, highlighting the Inspectorate’s zero-tolerance approach toward criminal activity embedded within traffic violations.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, expressed deep concern over the prevalence of motorists operating without legal documentation.
“It is deeply concerning that officers continue to encounter drivers who take chances and operate without valid driving licences. We are working to strengthen interventions and ensure this practice is stopped. Driving without a valid license is a criminal act, punishable by a fine or imprisonment,” warned MEC Diale-Tlabela.
Massive Enforcement Footprint via AARTO and e-Force
To deter reckless behaviour, GTI officers issued a massive volume of fines and infringement notices during the operational period. Officials recorded over nine hundred (900) handwritten AARTO infringement notices, broken down across regions as follows:
- Johannesburg: 424 notices
- Tshwane: 416 notices
- Ekurhuleni: 149 notices
- Sedibeng District: 3 notices
Additionally, eight hundred and eighty-nine (889) electronic infringement notices were seamlessly processed through the Inspectorate’s e-Force devices:
- Johannesburg: 417 notices
- Tshwane: 375 notices
- Greater Sedibeng area: 36 notices
- Ekurhuleni: 31 notices
Emphasizing the broader objective behind these enforcement numbers, MEC Diale-Tlabela noted that punitive measures are vital safety interventions rather than mere administrative hurdles. “Fines, infringement and discontinuation notices are not merely enforcement measures; they are necessary and key interventions to protect commuters and all road users,” she concluded.
As the #RemoveSkorokoro campaign presses forward, the Department has signalled that similar multi-agency operations will continue unabated to restore order, safety, and accountability across Gauteng’s transport network.
