Obviously I hope this doesn’t happen when we visit next week.
However if we are stopped by ‘police’ for some imaginary offense and I know I was doing nothing wrong how should we handle any prospective on the spot fines?
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297 helpful votes Ask for a written ticket. On the spot fines are not legal in SA. But hopefully this won’t happen to you. Luckily in 25 trips, it’s never happened to me. Although I have been given a genuine ticket!
Thanks, just the advice I was looking for.
As with Lisa in almost twenty years of living and driving in South Africa every ticket I have been issued with (quite a few) has been genuine. If the ticket is not a formal ticket with the offence specified and a forward payment date, at any police station or traffic payment office provided - then the ticket would not be genuine and they should be informed in no uncertain terms it will not be paid. Ring your car hire company ( a 24 hr contact number should be in your hire documents) put them on speaker phone and ask the "police" to explain why you should pay an illegal on the spot fine and how you should do this in association with the car hire company. They will have asked you to to drive on long before now!
You can print this and bring it with you: http://www.corruptionwatch.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/KLT-Anti-Corruption-Flyer.pdf
V de C, thanks, excellent advice.
Flafla, I’ve printed off that very useful document, cheers.
Having driven three previous times in SA without issue I’m not unduly concerned but the world is a very different place these days ,so better to be prepared.
If it is a legit stop then you shouldn't have any concerns and they should either write you a ticket or let you go, but if under your scenario of doing nothing wrong and being pulled over, the first thing I would do is start my camera on my cell phone even if you leave it on the seat. Do not let any threat intimidate you and be polite but firm in your resolve that you will not pay an on the spot fine (bribe) and tell them you have no money and no ATM card. Lastly, report them immediately to the venue where you're staying and to the police. If you can safely snap a picture of them and their car plate, do so, they cannot arrest these people without proof so anything you can get to ID them is good proof.
I never had any issues either in the past 8 years of traveling in South Africa until I finally did last year. The corrupt ones are nasty and try to intimidate you with everything they can think of. Hopefully you won't run into any and I'm hoping I don't either this year.
The previous advice is good but there are always exceptions. Going from jnb to Kruger I was stopped under phoney circumstances. Making the gate time was crucial and a couple hundred rand was the price of admission. ☹️
Flafla, thanks. I printed it out and plan to laminate it and keep it in the glove box.
