By The Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI), working alongside the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and various multi-disciplinary law enforcement agencies, has intensified its crackdown on non-compliant public transport operators across the province.
Operating under the banner of the #RemoveSkorokoro campaign, October’s heightened enforcement operations targeted high-risk transport corridors to weed out unroadworthy vehicles and penalize regulatory violations.
Throughout October, enforcement teams clamped down heavily on vehicle roadworthiness, documentation compliance, and driver accountability. Officers uncovered 140 minibus taxis operating without valid license discs, while an alarming 255 vehicles were found to be driven by individuals operating without valid driving licenses.
To mitigate immediate dangers to commuters, 65 minibuses deemed critically unroadworthy and unsafe for public roads were summarily discontinued.
The sweep also yielded thousands of citations for traffic infringements. Officers issued 3,532 handwritten AARTO infringement notices across multiple regions, including 1,674 in Johannesburg, 909 in Tshwane, 872 in Ekurhuleni, 32 in Mogale City, and 3 in Sedibeng. Furthermore, cross-border and inter-provincial operations yielded 28 notices in Harrismith (Free State) and 14 in the North-West Province.
An additional 3,585 electronic infringement notices were processed using the Inspectorate’s e-Force devices, alongside 132 formal discontinuation notices distributed across Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Tshwane.
Criminal violations during the reporting period led to a total of 22 arrests. The charges underscore severe safety hazards on provincial routes, featuring 16 arrests for driving under the influence (DUI), two for fraud, one for attempted bribery, one for possession of a stolen vehicle, one for official interference, and one for contravening immigration laws.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, emphasized that purging unroadworthy vehicles and disciplining reckless drivers are non-negotiable steps toward safeguarding commuters. She warned that operating public transport without valid documentation directly undermines regional safety goals and places civilian lives at grave risk.
With the peak festive season fast approaching, MEC Diale-Tlabela confirmed that these targeted operations will be sustained to enforce strict adherence to traffic legislation and maintain public safety across Gauteng’s transport networks.
