Cape Town cellphone law in effect

2012-07-02 07:36

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Cape Town - Motorists in the city caught talking without a hands-free kit or texting on their cellphone would be fined R500 and have their phone confiscated for a day, it was reported on Monday.

The Cape Times reported that the new bylaw, in effect from Monday, formed part of the provincial road safety campaign to cut road deaths in half by 2014.

Safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith said Cape Town was the only city where the road death toll was decreasing steadily, from 1 739 deaths in 2008 to 1 321 in 2011.

Confiscated cellphones could be collected at the Gallow Hills Traffic Department in Green Point after 24 hours. Motorists would have to show their identity books.

According to the report, phones would be sealed in a box and people given a serial number.

• A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that drivers would be fined R5 000.

- SAPA