RTI impounds 11 trucks in Pietermaritzburg operation
The intelligence-driven operation, targeted companies suspected of moving goods at night to avoid detection.
Eleven trucks were impounded in Pietermaritzburg in the early hours of Sunday morning as the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) intensified its crackdown on freight operators accused of flouting road safety laws.
The intelligence-driven operation, targeted companies suspected of moving goods at night to avoid detection.
Inspectors found multiple violations including worn-out tyres, missing transport permits, fraudulent roadworthiness certificates, and vehicles carrying cargo that exceeded legal size and weight limits.
ALSO READ | More than 1 300 scholar transport vehicles impounded in safety crackdown
KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the province was taking a firm stance against trucks using substandard tyres.
He linked the issue directly to fatal crashes along the N3, describing the number of truck-related accidents in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Worn-out tyres lack the necessary tread to maintain grip, making them prone to skidding, especially on wet surfaces. Without adequate tread, tyres require more time and distance to bring a heavy truck to a complete stop, which is particularly hazardous in emergency situations.”
A key focus of the new approach will be imported tyres. Duma said that the department will work with leading tyre manufacturers to address the issue of the influx of international cheap and illegal tyres.
“Critically, we will be working with leading tyre manufacturing industry role-players to ensure that we have a collective plan to respond to the influx,” he said.
Duma said tyres that are banned or no longer in use in other countries have found a market here.
He said that they were not only hazardous but not designed for our road networks.
ALSO READ | Seventeen trucks impounded for fake discs and permits
“The crackdown forms part of a broader reconfiguration of the province’s road safety campaign, led by Head of Department Zibusiso Dlamini. The plan was first outlined during the department’s recent Budget Speech,” said Duma
The RTI reminded freight companies and motorists that all tyres for passenger and commercial vehicles, including trailers, must comply with the South African Bureau of Standards’ compulsory specifications for road safety.
