SAPS Claims of Toll Delays at Chappies Simply Untrue

Statement by Robin Carlisle, Minister of Transport and Public Works

Recent reports on the incident involving an alleged theft on Chapman’s Peak drive (Sunday, 30 March 2014) have revealed some glaring untruths on SAPS’s account of the events that took place. Hout Bay station Commissioner is reported as claiming that SAPS respondents to the alleged crime were blocked from entering Chapman’s Peak because they could not pay the requisite R36 toll. This is a lie.

The facts are:

• The driver of the SAPS vehicle was in fact issued with a day pass and allowed entry into Chapman’s Peak Drive.
• Within three minutes, the police vehicle returned to the plaza headed in the direction of Hout Bay, handing the pass back to the toll collector.
• 55 minutes later, a SAPS vehicle returned again and allowed to enter Chapman’s Peak drive without being hindered, to exit again 21 minutes later.

                   * First entry and exit.

                   * Second entry and exit.

• Claims by Hout Bay station commissioner, Colonel Bongani Mtakati, that his vehicles are regularly held up at the Chapman’s Peak toll, are demonstrably without substance. I certainly hope that these fables are not being used to cover up for the fact that Hout Bay SAPS is infamous for their long delays in responding to reported crimes.

Schedule B of the agreement, between Entilini and the Western Cape Government, lists the “Exempt Vehicles” as:

• South African Police Service motor vehicles in the performance of duty
• South African National Defence Force motor vehicles in the performance of duty
• Western Cape Provincial Administration emergency vehicles and Traffic Police motor vehicles in the performance of duty. City of Cape Town emergency services vehicles and Traffic Police motor vehicles in the performance of duty
• South African National Parks vehicles in the performance of duty
• Ambulances used for an ambulance service licensed in terms of the Western Cape Ambulance Services Act 3 of 2010 used in the performance of ambulance services
• Fire-fighting vehicles as defined in section 1 of the National Road Traffic Act, 93 of 1996, used in the performance of fire-fighting services
• Rescue vehicles as defined in section 1 of the National Road traffic Act, 93 of 1996, used in the performance of rescuing services

Our efforts to ease access, particularly for the listed categories of exempted vehicles, will be strengthened by the introduction of an automatic number plate recognition system at the toll plaza. This system is at an advanced stage of testing and will ensure that these vehicles receive automatic entry when performing their duties.

It is unacceptable that citizens and visitors still do not have the assurance from SAPS, that they will respond in a reasonable time when incidents occur. SAPS can be certain that they will continue to be immediately allowed access to Chapman’s Peak, and I hope that the same guarantee, to respond timeously to reported incidents, can be given by SAPS, to those that make use of Chapman’s Peak drive.