Letters | Soft targeting

Thank you so much to Louis Bester, (The Witness, February 19), for touching on that very controversial issue: “soft targeting”. My neighbour, (a Sassa pensioner), is a desperately underprivileged man, who lives in the utmost, adverse conditions after his house, a magnificent early 1900s, if not somewhere 1800s specimen, burnt down a few years ago. His only prized possession, is a +- 12-year-old-vehicle, very well looked after, very low kilometres (77 000, still with original tyres, would you believe it?), which proves that he hardly contributes to the disintegration of South African roads (+- 2 trips monthly to town for the bare necessities and medicals).

Last week, he was pulled over by a waiting, (parked of), vehicle, who spotted his old, green, personalised number plate, and fined R700. ( Questionably not R500). For some other issues, he was fined a further R2 000.

No compassion whatsoever. My neigbour never had the R 400 for a new set of number plates then. He doesn’t now.

[paywall]

He knew the consequences, but, out of desperation, he had to take a chance by going to town for his necessities. He drove very carefully (as always), but like a criminal, was spotted, hounded and rounded up. For expired number plates!

I have never seen a grown-up man so distraught in all my life. I know very well the evergreen excuse of “ just doing my job”. To the traffic police and superiors: if you have a conscience, please go do it elsewhere!

[/paywall]