DA in Gautenag calls for abolishment of revenue-based policing targets for JMPD
The political party claims officers are made to collect R7,000 in traffic fines daily, which serves as a deterrence from ensuring public safety.
DA Gauteng spokesperson for community safety, Michael Sun, said the premier needed to intervene.
"These roadblocks exist solely to extract money from struggling motorists, many of whom are already facing economic hardship. They do not contribute to regulating traffic flow, reducing accidents or ensuring public safety."
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Next Stay Close ✕ 'To incentivise compliance with these targets, officers are reportedly provided with overtime payments, effectively transforming law enforcement into a commission-based revenue scheme. This pushes JMPD officers to aggressively pursue fines instead of focusing on their duties, such as bylaw enforcement, traffic management, and crime prevention.' He added that these concerning claims align with the growing trend of JMPD conducting excessive and random roadblocks at busy intersections, not for public safety, but to boost fine collection. 'Many of these operations are non-compliant with the National Road Traffic Act and SAPS Standing Orders. By reclassifying illegal roadblocks as 'roadside checks', JMPD evades crucial legal requirements, including proper authorisation by a senior officer, clear signage, adequate warning to motorists, among others,' Sun added. Responding to the allegations, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla dismissed the DA's claims as false, stating: 'The JMPD would like to emphasise that our enforcement operations are conducted with the primary goal of maintaining safety and order on the city's roads.' He added that issuing citations is a normal part of an officer's duty when motorists violate traffic laws, describing it as a necessary step to curb lawlessness and encourage responsible driving. However, he firmly denied the existence of any quota system, stating: 'There is no quota that officers are expected to meet.' Fihla reiterated that the department's main priority is promoting compliance with traffic regulations to enhance road safety, not to meet any set number of fines. 'The performance of our officers is measured by their overall effectiveness in creating a safer environment for the community, and one of the ways is to issue citations, not by a predetermined target for fines. The integrity of our operations is paramount, and all actions are taken in strict accordance with the law,' he added. Political analyst Kenneth Mokgatlhe expressed concern over the alleged political interference, saying if the claims are accurate, it represents 'political interference of the highest degree.' He added, 'Corrupt politicians who have looted public funds are now trying to fix their financial mess by targeting poor motorists. The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) financial crisis is well-documented, and they are definitely looking for a shortcut to solve their financial conundrum. Remember that the treasury is on their case regarding their wasteful expenditure.' Mokgatlhe criticised Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, saying he often creates the illusion of action through noise and public spectacle rather than genuinely addressing pressing issues. 'He's all talk and no action. What happened to the poorly performing Heads of Department in his province? Instead of firing them, he simply reshuffled them. 'The ANC leaders are soft when they deal with corruption, especially when members of their factions are involved. Lesufi will not do anything regarding the deteriorating situation at CoJ because he failed to address the crisis at Emfuleni.' He added. With allegations such as these levelled against JMPD, motorists might wonder how the AARTO demerit system will be applied fairly, without putting pressure on metro police officers to meet certain traffic fine targets. The AARTO rollout is scheduled to begin in December 2025, but the points demerit system will not come into effect until 1 September 2026. This important reform aims to encourage responsible driving by assigning demerit points for traffic violations. Accumulating too many points? You could face licence suspensions or cancellations.
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