November 6, 2007
By Lucille Davie
RESIDENTS will be pleased to know that 50 to 60 percent of arrests for traffic violations are of taxi drivers, according to Thomas Phakathi, the mayoral committee member for public safety.
"I have given a clear instruction in terms of section 79. We are not trying to target taxi drivers, who do as they like. They are the worst violators," he says. It is a feeling many drivers in the city, and probably the country, would echo.
Phakathi says the Johannesburg metro police department (JMPD) has been focusing particularly on drivers taking the shoulder lane on freeways - especially the M1, N1, N2 and sections of the N3. "We will not tolerate anyone [driving] in the shoulder lane [on freeways] and other main roads like William Nicol Drive. They must stand in the queue like others," he reiterates.
Dedicated teams of JMPD officers are also checking for unroadworthy taxis and impounding those that don't pass the test. It costs drivers R600 to release their vehicles, which are charged R40 a day in the pound, but some don't even bother to collect them, so bad is their condition.
Furthermore, Phakathi says that some taxi drivers are inclined to be repeat offenders and, for this reason, he will be very happy when the demerit points system is finally introduced in February 2008. "It will allow us to deal with repeat offenders."
In terms of the system, drivers begin with nil points and when they reach 12, their licences are taken away.
Pay up
And taxi drivers are being made to pay up. JMPD officers are able to verify by means of cellphones or laptops whether a driver has outstanding fines, and taxi drivers, and others, are paying on the spot or taking the officers to an ATM to draw the money, to pay their fines.
Drivers cannot renew their vehicle licences without a clean fine payment record either. "It is proving to be a very effective method," admits Phakathi.
Another measure he wants to see introduced is to make it illegal for taxi drivers to carry guns. "They are very aggressive because they are armed – they are like loose cannons."
He says there is a need to take drastic steps, at local, provincial and national level. "This is not a banana republic – everyone must adhere to the rules of the road. The mindset must change."
The judiciary, human rights institutions and law enforcement agencies need to sit down and work this out. "How can we turn the city around if we are so soft with people creating havoc?"
In the meantime he is driving community awareness programmes aimed at high school children, the next generation of drivers. "We are impatient drivers, and become violent."
He would like people to see JMPD officer as partners, not just as law enforcers. A recent innovation is the Takkies Squad, a team of some 100 officers in plain clothes, set up in response to the spate of smash-and-grab incidents in the city. They have been targeting hot spots like the Nelson Mandela Bridge, Smal Street in the CBD, and Smit and Klein streets.
"They have been a most effective team so far," he says.
Sense of urgency
Despite the impatience he talks of, Phakathi says that what he likes about living in Joburg is the "sense of urgency".
"I get bored in Cape Town and Durban. Although I like Cape Town, things go very slowly there," he explains, smiling. "When I am away in other countries, I miss the vibe here, this is the place to be. Once a Joburger, always a Joburger."
Phakathi has been in the present administration for seven years, having been in charge of public administration between 2000 and 2006. In this portfolio he was responsible for seven City departments, which he describes as a "great experience".
"The level of experience I gained will never be taken away from me. I am very proud of what I know; it helps me to be on top of issues at both the EMS [emergency management services] and JMPD. It makes me feel very, very comfortable."
Phakathi says he now sees himself as an all-rounder. "I can't see myself failing in any deployment the mayor gives me."
Phakathi was born in Tembisa, in neighbouring Ekurhuleni, and was a teenager of the 1976 generation. As such he was involved in student politics, being active in resistance to apartheid, particularly during the states of emergency in the 1980s. He served in the ANC local underground structures, and was detained without trial for six months in 1984.
"Whenever I am demotivated, I always remind myself where I came from. My political background has helped me a lot – I can go to the highest office to source advice, if there's anything I need to be advised on."
In 1986 he was a co-founder of the Tembisa branch of the United Democratic Front. He was also a member of the Tembisa Youth Congress and the Tembisa Residents' Association, the latter becoming part of the Sanco structure. In 1987 he was nominated to serve in the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) during the union's national strike.
From 1995 Phakathi worked for several marine engineering companies and became a boating technician. He started out as storeman, progressed to chief storeman, being required to know all the parts of a boat engine. He developed a "passion to improve", took a course, went to Belgium to train, and learned "how to fix those boats".
The passion for boats is still strong, and when he gets the time Phakathi takes his three kids to Hartbeespoort dam for boat rides. "I intend owning a boat when I've got money," he enthuses.
Challenges
Phakathi sees as one of his greatest challenges the reduction of priority crimes in the city. "We have seen some decrease, I am happy we are winning the fight. We need to reduce road fatalities, especially of pedestrians."
Priority crimes are murder, hijackings, bank robberies, and smash-and-grabs. "Our endeavours to deal with these have resulted in various initiatives to capacitate our officers, including being trained by the FBI in courses such as white collar crimes, money laundering, and so on."
By-law violations, particularly the illegal invasion of buildings, which is rife in the city, are other big challenges.
He describes the frustration of balancing the rights of all parties – the need to remove illegal occupants from buildings, particularly as buildings become fire and health hazards; against the demands of human rights bodies, who say that the City is violating the rights of the occupants; against the rights of the courts, who demand that the City find alternative accommodation for people it wants to remove from buildings.
Demands of growing city
Phakathi says he's "pretty satisfied" that the JMPD and the EMS are keeping up with the demands of a growing city. "Resources permitting, we are keeping up."
The response time of the JMPD on the outskirts of the city is 30 minutes, while in the inner city it is 15 minutes.
One of the innovations he is pleased with is the infotech system, introduced to ambulances last year. Technology is fitted to the vehicles that tracks the use of the vehicle, even whether the driver is over-revving the engine, indicating poor driver technique.
This means the EMS has been able to ascertain whether drivers are outside their jurisdiction; in other words, it tracks the misuse of vehicles. "This means that the vehicle reports the driver. Through this system we have made a saving of R7-million." The system has also led to fewer accidents and fewer repairs.
It will, in future, be introduced to JMPD vehicles, which already have their jurisdiction painted on their doors. "I am passionate about the system. If all City departments used it, the City would save a lot of money."
Regarding corruption and bribery, Phakathi says his department takes "serious and drastic action" against those succumbing to it. In all, 14 officers have been fired, and criminal charges have been laid against them. "But it takes two to tango – motorists must be taken to task, they are promoting the problem."
In January this year a fraud line - 0800 203 712 - was established. However, Phakathi admits that much more needs to be done to sensitise communities to understand that they must report corruption and fraud. This is being done through roadshows and, he hopes, the markings on the vehicles.
JMPD, the SAPS and the province
There are 2 400 JPMD officers now, and he will have 4 000 officers on the ground by 2010. "We are committed to that number. We will have enough resources."
Phakathi says there is more co-operation between the JMPD, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and private security companies. Over 400 JMPD officers have been deployed in more than 19 SAPS stations – an average of 20 officers a station, to improve their crime-fighting capacities.
He is confident that the city will be ready for 2010. "I am happy come 2010 that the spadework is done – the city will be very safe by then. We are all working together and share criminal information with the SAPS."
In an agreement with the provincial MEC for safety and security, Firoz Cachalia, there will be joint operations so that when a car is stopped, there will be checks for outstanding traffic fines, roadworthiness, weapons and drugs. A new machine that operates by means of a thumb print will ascertain whether the driver is a wanted criminal or not.
"We are growing stronger and stronger. The MEC is very happy with what we are doing."
Leisure time and family
Phakathi enjoys his home city – he visits the Apartheid Museum, the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve and other historical places in the city. The Cradle of Humankind in neighbouring Mogale City is also a favourite.
When he's travelling to these places he likes to listen to blues – Isaac Hayes and Brook Benton among them. And he's beginning to enjoy the hip-hop and kwaito stuff that his kids play.
As an only child he was very close to his mother, and found her death his biggest personal challenge. But he has become very close to his father and has bought him a house in Joburg so that he can visit often.
There are not many men who admit it, but Phakathi does: "My father and my kids are the only people who keep me going."
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