By Hailey Griffiths

Old traffic fines came back to haunt many Capetonians during the festive season.

The traffic department now uses a licence plate recognition system that can call up a list of past traffic fines and related offences and errant motorists can be pulled over and arrested at any of the department's random road blocks.

"Operation Reclaim" has been functioning for a year-and-half, but the number of checkpoints was increased during the holiday season.

Fifty-six arrests were made at these road blocks in December alone. And 16 arrests were made in the space of a few hours at a checkpoint on Marine Drive on Tuesday.

Traffic department Superintendent Henri Swift and his team also apprehended people owing about R17 000 in outstanding fines during this time.

Swift said that there were sometimes "two or three roadblocks a day" and that they were mounted "every day". They are set up on major traffic routes, a camera is connected to a laptop, and all traffic-related information about the car and owner are displayed as it goes past the camera.

Those with fines or warrants are then pulled over to a large van where comprehensive information checks are done on both the motorist and car. Even if it's not your car, your own fines can be called up on the computer system.

If motorists only have unpaid fines, they can be released with a warning. But if appearance in court has been evaded or motorists have double offences, they are arrested.

These arrests ensure that the offenders appear in court. If they are unable to appear in court that day, they are detained to ensure they appear the next day.

Drivers who are detained usually have an option of bail, but Swift said that this was "normally very high".

Fines are also issued for cars with hidden or missing number plates. Sometimes, false number plates are discovered and, working together with the police service, traffic officers have often found illegal firearms and wanted criminals.

Despite Operation Reclaim having been active for more than a year, many motorists are still surprised at being pulled over and arrested. The cars of detained motorists are either impounded or fetched by family members.

It is possible for drivers to check if they have outstanding fines by calling either the City Police or phoning 08600 Fines.

• This article was originally published on page 10 of The Cape Argus on January 11, 2006

Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-01-11 12:59:00