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By SRS
Posted to the web on July 1, 2010 |
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June 30, 2010 (JUBA) — Dozens of vehicles and motorcycles have been impounded in Juba after a crackdown on unlicensed vehicles was launched in the city on Monday.
Central Equatoria state traffic police have been stopping motorists and cyclists on the major roads of Juba for the last two days.
The director of traffic police in Central Equatoria state, Martin Wani, told SRS on Tuesday that the move follows a directive from the Government of Southern Sudan traffic department.
[Martin Wani]: “This crackdown is on all motorists using the road. We want the roads to be rid of vehicles that are not legally registered. There are unlicensed cars moving around, there are cars using foreign number plates, or using expired number plates like motorists that still use NS number plates although it was stopped since 2007. And there are vehicles that are not registered which make it difficult for us to track them down incase of a problem. So that is why we have decided to impound vehicles without license and insurances whether small cars or bigger ones, and even cars using number plates from other states that are not registered.”
Martin Wani added that motorbikes are the most dangerous vehicles used in southern Sudan.
[Martin Wani]: “These motorbikes are the biggest threat to security in Juba, because people have been killed here in Juba by people riding motorbikes. They just shoot people and ride away fast on their motorbikes. We want all ‘boda-bodas’ being used in Juba here to be registered and we shall give them licenses that will allow them to operate here. Those whose cars and motorbikes have been impounded are supposed to go to court, but we have decided to deal with them right away by allowing them to register. The traffic department in Central Equatoria state has decided to let any motorist caught on the wrong side of the law registers instantly and pays thirty Sudanese pounds.”
Martin concluded the crackdown is on all unregistered vehicles irrespective of whether they are government vehicles or not.
[Martin Wani]: “Even these GOSS vehicles do not have any specific place of getting their number plates. You will find other cars using plates that are not actually from the manufacturers. Some are made here in Konyokonyo in different shapes. Others are made in rectangular shape and others are made in a square-like shape. Therefore, if we find any GOSS car using a wrong plate we have the right to ask where it is coming from and why is it not like the others. We shall impound them, even GOSS motors.”
The director of traffic police in Central Equatoria state, Martin Wani, was speaking to SRS on Tuesday in Juba.
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