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Road Traffic Management Corporation

Not many would think that there is a connection between the Pretoria News and the first motor car in the Southern Hemisphere. Well there is, in a manner of speaking. In 1896, Mr John Percy Hess of Pretoria imported a Benz ‘Velo’ from Benz & Co., in Germany. Its first drive was at 4 pm on January 4th 1897, at Berea Park, Pretoria.

Its passengers were Dr WJ Leyds, then State Secretary of the Transvaal, and Mr AE Reno, co-founder of the Pretoria News. President Paul Kruger was also invited along for the ride, but for all his skills as a horseman, and bravery in battle, he preferred just to watch.1

Just over a century later there were nearly 11 million registered vehicles on the roads;2 and it will be no surprise to those familiar with the Johannesburg–Pretoria freeway that its ten lanes accommodate 180 000 trips per day.3 That is 67 million per year. Management of the roads infrastructure, regulation and co-ordination of provincial authorities is needed.

No wonder then, that Parliament passed the Road Traffic Management Corporation Act 1999. Administered by the Minister of Transport, the Act does not regulate road traffic issues, but it established the Road Traffic Management Corporation. This is the umbrella organisation designed to plan, regulate, facilitate, implement and oversee all types of strategy, investment and law enforcement in road traffic matters. The Corporation is headed by its Chief Executive Officer and has its Head Office in Tshwane.

A. Enquiries

  1. The CEO of the Board may conduct an enquiry into any matter concerning road traffic.4 For this purpose, amongst other things, he can cause a notice to be served on any person requiring his appearance at the enquiry. Any person who fails to comply with such a notice commits an offence.5

  2. At the conclusion of the enquiry, the Board may issue a directive requiring a particular person to undertake action, or to cease any action. Any person who fails to comply with such a directive commits an offence.6

B. Restriction on use of name

  1. It is an offence to conduct affairs, or business, or carry on an occupation or trade under a name containing the words ‘Road Traffic Management Corporation’ or the translation thereof in any official language.7

  2. No person may be registered or licensed in terms of any legislation under a name containing the words ‘Road Traffic Management Corporation’ or the translation thereof in any other official language.8

  3. It is an offence falsely to claim to be acting on behalf of the Corporation.9

  1. www.dyna.co.za– ‘First Car in Southern Hemisphere’. ↩

  2. www.enatis.com – Statistics. ↩

  3. www.aa.co.za – ‘AA Fleet keeps up with Rising Traffic Volumes’. ↩

  4. Section 46(1). ↩

  5. Section 52(a) read with section 46(4). ↩

  6. Section 52(b) read with section 46(4). ↩

  7. Section 52(c) read with section 49(a). ↩

  8. Section 52(c) read with section 49(b). ↩

  9. Section 52(c) read with section 49(c). ↩

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