By 
JOHANNESBURG — A week-long joint law enforcement operation across Gauteng has led to the arrest of 36 motorists, the impounding of 42 vehicles, and hundreds of unroadworthy cars being taken off the province’s roads.
The high-impact stop-and-search initiative, conducted from July 20 to July 26 under the banner of the #RemoveSkorokoroCampaign, targeted high-risk public transport corridors and crime hotspots across Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, and the Sedibeng District Municipality.
The joint operation was carried out by the Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP), the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI), and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to boost road safety, enforce compliance, and curb criminal activity.
Dozens Arrested for Criminal and Traffic Offences
During the operation, officers arrested 36 drivers for a range of criminal and traffic-related offences. Charges included driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), reckless and negligent driving, attempted bribery, defeating or obstructing the administration of justice, contravention of the Immigration Act, cable theft, and fraud.
In addition to the arrests, traffic law enforcement targeted unsafe public and scholar transport operators. A total of 42 vehicles—comprising 19 minibus taxis, 17 private vehicles, and 6 scholar transport vehicles—were impounded, primarily in the Laudium and Olievenhoutbosch areas.
Blitz on Unroadworthy Vehicles and License Violations
Officers reported widespread non-compliance across the public transport sector. During the crackdown, 34 minibus taxi drivers were caught operating without valid driving licenses, while 53 were found driving without valid license discs.
To eliminate unroadworthy vehicles from public roads, the GTP and GTI jointly issued discontinuation notices to 99 vehicles, including minibus taxis and private cars, due to critical mechanical faults such as worn tyres, faulty brakes, defective headlights, and cracked windscreens.
A massive number of fines were also issued throughout the week:
- Manual AARTO Notices: Over 700 manual notices were issued across key regions, including 321 in Ekurhuleni, 246 in Johannesburg, 83 in Sedibeng, and 77 in Tshwane.
- e-Force Infringements: GTI officers issued 874 electronic infringement notices using advanced digital devices.
- Targeted GTP Fines: Sixty traffic fines were issued for overloading and driving without valid licenses or Professional Driving Permits (PrDP) during transport operations in Tshwane and the West Rand, alongside 41 J534 fines for various road and public transport violations.
Provincial Authority Issues Warning
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, issued a stern warning to reckless road users.
“Motorists and operators who continue to drive under the influence of alcohol, operate without valid driving licences or disregard road traffic laws will face the full might of the law,” Diale-Tlabela stated, reassuring commuters that high-impact operations will remain a priority to ensure road safety.
The Gauteng Provincial Government praised the law enforcement teams for their coordinated approach. Meanwhile, the Department of Roads and Transport has urged all public transport operators—particularly scholar transport and minibus taxi drivers—to visit their nearest Transport Operating Licensing Administrative Body (TOLAB) offices immediately to collect their operating licenses or check their application statuses.
