Selma Ikela
Windhoek-The City Police Traffic Department has embarked on an operation to trace motorists with outstanding warrants of arrests at their place of employment, residence or on the road.
The traffic police have over 60 000 warrants of arrest for Windhoek only. It is estimated there is an average increase of these warrants of 500 per month.
A total of 49 motorists were issued with outstanding warrants of arrest on Friday at the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Works and Transport and Pupkewitz.
All the 49 motorists hastily paid their outstanding traffic fines.
On Saturday the police continued with their operation and 13 motorists with 30 outstanding fines were arrested.
City Police spokesperson Fabian Amukwelele said of the 13 motorists, 10 were taxi drivers and three civilians with outstanding warrants of arrest.
Amukwelele said one illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe found driving a taxi was also arrested.
He explained that the court issues a traffic warrant of arrest when a person fails to pay a traffic fine or fails to appear in court to answer a traffic summons.
He advised that if motorists suspect they have a traffic ticket they must immediately contact the City Police to make arrangements to pay the fine.
“Current arrangements with the court are that those who voluntarily opt to pay the fine will not be arrested,” said Amukwelele.
The City Police also went after colleagues at the City of Windhoek and Windhoek Emergency Services.
City Police Traffic Department Superintendent Belinda Griqua and Assistant Superintendent George Moatshe visited the City of Windhoek Urban Property Management Department on Friday morning.
Griqua said they had 18 warrants of arrest for City of Windhoek personnel and they managed to get six motorists, two of whom paid the fines. She added that one of the motorists had retired while the other had resigned.
Griqua and Moatshe accompanied the two motorists to the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court to settle their fines.