Road Safety Highlights News Section

Lawyer in court for allegedly defauding RAF with R3.7m

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:40:22 +0200

9 February 2012

A lawyer has appeared in court for allegedly defrauding the Road Accident Fund (RAF) of about R3.7 million.

Nalini Atwaru, who lives in Pietermaritzburg was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning, after an investigation by the commercial crimes unit had revealed she submitted fictitious reports of accidents three years ago.

The 42-year-old woman apparently created at least six separate accident reports on behalf of herself, her mother Neelambal Naidoo, 66, her mother-in-law and three children.

Naidoo and Atwaru both appeared in the Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday afternoon, but Naidoo's case was struck off the role because of her age and because it was shown that she did not receive payment from the fake claims.

Evidence presented by investigating officers showed that Atwaru had already collected about R1.3 million from the RAF.

She was released on bail.

KZN police spokesman Lt. Col. Vincent Mdunge said Atwaru was charged with fraud and her case was postponed.

He said the remaining accused, including Atwaru's adult children, would appear in the Point Periodical Court on Friday. They also face charges of fraud.

“The timely intervention by the Commercial Crimes Unit saved the RAF millions of rands which would have been lost as a result of a fraudulent claim of his nature.

“This should send a warning to the society that we have capacity to effectively investigate fraud and successfully trace, track and arrest the swindlers,” he said. [Story by Benita Enoch, IOL]

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RoadCover and Personal Injury Claims to the Road Accident Fund

Bikers attend case of Hummer driver who crashed into motorcyclists

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:39:35 +0200

8 February 2012

Scores of bikers converged on the Pretoria North Regional Court on Wednesday for the brief appearance of a man who allegedly ran over and killed two motorcyclists with a stolen Hummer.

It had been expected that a trial date would be set for Indu Chyabu, who faces two charges of culpable homicide. However, the case was postponed until February 21 to allow the 31-year-old to instruct his legal team.

Bikers Johannes Kruger and Pieter Coetzee were killed when a Hummer Chiyabu was allegedly driving ploughed into them on Rachel de Beer Road in Pretoria on October 16, 2010.

Two motorcycles and the Hummer caught fire. Coetzee and Kruger died at the scene. Chiyabu allegedly fled.

Coetzee's son, also called Pieter, lost his leg in the accident. He was in court on Tuesday in a wheelchair to watch the brief proceedings.

Chyabu, who is out on a warning, was escorted from the court through a back entrance by court officials.

- SAPA

Commuters urged to boycott unsafe drivers

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:56:50 +0200

7 February 2012

Commuters who use public transport should boycott unsafe drivers, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said on Tuesday.

"Passengers must refuse to be transported in a vehicle that doesn't meet the minimum safety requirement standards. Passengers must refuse to be transported in a vehicle that drives at neck-break speed," he told the parliamentary transport portfolio committee.

During a briefing by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), he said his department wanted passengers to help change the attitude of drivers who did things, such as operate unroadworthy vehicles, speed, and drive drunk.

Passengers should say no to a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs, he said.

Ndebele said the department was giving its "full support" to the establishment of more road safety councils within communities.

"Through this initiative, we are saying people must take back their roads for it's only if we all become involved that we will be able to win the war against road carnage.

"Passengers must work with us in changing the culture on our roads."

Ndebele said the department, in partnership with the department of basic education, was introducing driving lessons as part of the life skills curriculum at schools.

"We want to catch them young before they fall for the societal pressures associated with this world we live in," he said.

The department wanted to prepare them for the road ahead and create a new breed of driver.

RTMC acting chief executive Collins Letsoalo told the committee the corporation would focus on removing rogue drivers, discontinuing "severely defective vehicles", and removing corruption and fraud at vehicle testing stations and driving licence centres.

"It really defeats the purpose if we move a car off the road and we find it back through corruption."

He said if passengers increased their use of seat belts, fatalities could be reduced by 30%.

"This is something we need to change in the mindset of South Africans. Zero fatalities for us is the change we want to see on our roads. This cannot continue."

- SAPA

Gautrain bus strikers to be dismissed

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:36:54 +0200

6 February 2012

The Gautrain bus service remains suspended, and drivers who participated in an illegal strike will be served with dismissal notices, the Bombela Concession company said on Monday morning.

"The disciplinary process was completed on Friday night and those drivers that participated have already started receiving letters of dismissal," spokesperson Errol Braithwaite said.

"MegaExpress will put plans in place today [Monday] to reinstate the bus service as soon as possible."

On February 1, the drivers ignored an ultimatum that required them to return to work by 15:00. A court interdict was issued last month compelling drivers to return to work.

Braithwaite said the drivers launched their own court application to block disciplinary hearings, but this was dismissed by the Johannesburg Labour Court. Some of the drivers were fired.

The Gautrain bus drivers, who used to be members of the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union, had left the union and were now acting independently.

Last month, drivers went on strike because they wanted MegaExpress, the Gautrain bus operating company, to provide them with transport from their homes to their place of work every day.

- SAPA

Fuel shortages across South Africa to ease 'soon'

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:08:14 +0200

1 February 2012

Pressures on fuel supplies should start easing by the beginning of next week, the SA Petrol Retailers Association said on Wednesday.

"We should get going again by Tuesday," the association's national director Peter Noke said.

This comes after motorists reported not being able to find fuel at some service stations.

"There is stock going around. There is definitely no need to panic buy, that's the last thing we need now."

Noke denied some shortages were being caused by retailers withholding stock to profit from fuel price increases that came into effect on Wednesday.

"There is a perception that retailers are skelm (crooked) but this is not the case," he said.

The problem was caused mostly by difficulties during planned maintenance at the SA Petrol Refinery in Durban and problems at a refinery in the Western Cape.

There was also a rush on fuel ahead of price increases at midnight, which included a 36 cents a litre hike in the cost of petrol.

[Sapa]