Two fined for illegally removing TTI clamp

TWO men were on Wednesday arrested and heavily fined after they were caught removing a clamped wheel from their motor vehicle between 10th and 11th Avenue along Fife Street, an act which violates the City Council by-laws.

The motor vehicle was parked in a taxi parking bay in front of a fast food outlet and enforcers from the City’s traffic management company, Tendy Three Investments (TTI) clamped it for violation of traffic parking laws.

“Upon being clamped the two were later observed removing the clamped wheel which they would then replace with a spare wheel before driving away, obviously with the clamped but now detached wheel. Police were called to the scene leading to their arrest,” said TTI general manager Mr Bongani Nyathi.

He said the act was a violation of the City Council by-laws as read in Statutory Instrument 220 of 2023 (Chapter 29:15).

According to Section 7 (1) of the by-laws (Offences);

“Any person who— (a) unlawfully attempts to obstruct, obstructs, or causes to be obstructed, any person in the exercise of his or her duties under these by-laws; or (b) unlawfully attempts to remove, removes or causes to be removed a wheel clamp; or (c) unlawfully attempts to remove, removes or causes to be removed a motor vehicle from a secure compound; shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and imprisonment. For parking at a taxi parking bay.”

For parking at the taxi bay, the motorist was fined US$40 and for tampering with the clamp, they paid US$50.

“This is so rampant (tampering with the clamp) and motorists must know that there are serious consequences for doing so,” said Mr Nyathi.

The by-laws allow an authorised person to either fine the offender as per the law or go through the court process.