Police cannot impound kombis and pirate taxis for more than 24 hours

POLICE can only detain impounded kombis and pirate taxis posing a danger to other road users for 24 hours as the law does not allow them to keep them for a longer period.

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Obedingwa Mguni said this in Parliament while responding to a question on Government policy regarding touts who ride on their vehicles with their doors open posing a danger to other road users and themselves.

He said the kombi crews on the wrong side of the law always try to evade police at roadblocks.

He said police needed a policy that was deterrent enough than what was in place.

In June, Mguni told the august House that it was illegal for traffic police officers to confiscate keys and drive vehicles that they would have impounded at roadblocks.

He said although police could impound vehicles with defects, it was illegal for them to drive them.