President Cyril Ramaphosa has assented to the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill which provides for a far-reaching, new dispensation in road safety including fitness of drivers and vehicles, the transportation of certain dangerous goods, the general speed limit and the integrity of the issuing of vehicle and driving licences.
The Bill gives effect to the National Road Safety Strategy, which has five pillars: road safety management; safer roads and mobility; safer vehicles; safer road users, and post-crash response.
The Bill amends the National Road Traffic Act of 1996 in a number of ways including by providing, among other measures, for the suspension and cancellation of the registration – outlined in the new legislation – of an examiner for driving licences or an examiner of vehicles.
It also provides for the registration and grading of training centres and driving licence testing centres, as well as the registration and inspection of various stakeholders in the manufacture, supply and fitment (as applicable) of number plates, weighbridge facilities and microdot.
The law introduces various new offences in relation to learner’s licences and provides for registration and grading of driving schools and their instructors.
The law disqualifies vehicle examiners who have or acquire a direct or indirect financial interest in the manufacturing, selling, rebuilding, repairing or modifying of motor vehicles.
Examiners will also be disqualified if they have or have acquired such financial interest through their spouse or partner.
Similarly, a traffic officer, reserve traffic warden, traffic warden or NaTIS (National Traffic Information System) officials are now disqualified if they have or acquired, or through their spouse or partner, have acquired a direct or indirect financial interest in a road transport services business.
Examiners for driving licences or vehicles, traffic officers and licence inspectors may be suspended or have their registration cancelled if they have been convicted of various offences in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.
These sanctions apply also to examiners, officers and inspectors who have a direct or indirect financial interest in a variety of businesses including a driving school, road transport services business or the manufacturing of motor vehicles.
The law also calls for the registration of persons who build or modify vehicle bodies on chassis and chassis-cabs, or import new buses or midibuses.
The legislation includes fraud as a listed offence for anyone who assists a driving licence applicant in committing an offence.
The Bill signed by the President obliges emergency services to immediately respond to a road incident and render all necessary services as prescribed.
“Emergency services” are defined as including emergency medical services provided by an organ of state or private body for private use, as well as emergency medical services provided by the Department responsible for health services.
The law also stipulates that the driver of an emergency vehicle who drives such a vehicle in the course of their duties, or a person driving a vehicle while responding to a disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act may not exceed a speed of 20km/h through an intersection.
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