As December approaches and Capetonians gear up for the holiday season, the presence of traffic officials and roadblocks is once again drawing attention. Questions are mounting over whether the spike in traffic fines is genuinely aimed at curbing dangerous driving or primarily intended to boost municipal revenue.
A recent VOC News poll found that 92% of respondents believe fines are mainly used to generate income for local government rather than to protect motorists.
Attorney, arbitrator, and lecturer Fareed Moosa weighed in on the issue, highlighting the scale of traffic enforcement in the city:
“Between July 2024 and February 2025, they logged more than 2.2 million traffic-related violations. In the 2022-2023 financial year, about R221 million was collected in traffic fines. Certainly, a considerable sum is generated by the city of Cape Town, some of which is used for the traffic courts and administration system.”
Listen to the full interview with Professor Moosa below:
However, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith pushed back against the perception that traffic fines are a revenue-generating tool:
“No, the fines are not revenue-making. They’re a tiny part of our budget. The city has a budget in excess of R80 billion, and fines contribute only a couple of hundred million. None of it comes back to the traffic department. Officers do not get bonuses, incentives, or commissions. This is one of those long-standing myths that refuses to die.”
Listen to the full interview with Alderman Smith below:
As the debate continues, many residents remain skeptical, questioning whether fines truly promote road safety or simply line municipal coffers.
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm/Stock
