Transport Ministry backs ‘zero tolerance’ of traffic officers bribes

Festive season road safety campaign.

Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa says they are encouraged by traffic officers who are applying zero tolerance towards motorists attempting to bribe officers after failing to comply with traffic laws.

A high number of motorists have been arrested for drunk driving, reckless and negligent driving, and operating unroadworthy vehicles during law enforcement operations since the beginning of the festive season.

Hlengwa says that with the assistance of the Department of Public Service and Administration, they now have a dispensation, an exemption to exceed the overtime threshold, which enables them to pay traffic officers working on the roads.

He says through this intervention, they have managed to prevent road carnage and reduce the number of motorists disobeying traffic rules this festive season.

“If you have been caught in the wrong, please accept the consequences and do not add a burden and add a strain for us by wanting to bribe. Traffic officers are arresting and continue to see and increase in this regard and it is clear to us, drivers wanting to do wrong things with an assumption that they can pay their way out, we are applying a zero tolerance approach throughout the eco-system,” says Hlengwa.

FESTIVE SEASON ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Please exercise patience on the roads.

Do Not Speed!#ArriveAlive #ItBeginsWitMe #RoadSafety pic.twitter.com/Iu6DYiN02t

— Department of Transport (@Dotransport) December 24, 2025