Publications
Partners
Pretoria - The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has launched a probe into the acquisition of records of vehicles belonging to spokesperson Ashref Ismail.
RTMC acting chief executive Collins Letsoalo told reporters on Saturday that Independent Newspapers submitted a request, using Ismail’s details, onto the electronic national administration traffic information system (eNaTIS).
“In the system, the only person who can request that information is Ashref (as owner of the vehicle)," he said.
"They then purport that he is the one they received money (R72) from on the receipt."
“The person highlighted here," he said, while waving a page showing screen-grab captured by security cameras, "We don’t know whether it is an employee of Independent Newspapers, but is clearly not Ashref, who they purport paid the money in claiming his details."
The image shows a woman who, according to Letsoalo, paid the money to get the records of Ismail at a vehicle registration centre in Market Street, Johannesburg central.
“It is going to be very important for us to get to the bottom of this so that it does not happen to anyone in this country. At no point are we trying to pull rank or do anything like that.”
"It is unlawful to go in and get someone’s information from the eNaTIS in the way that it has been done. That is what we will be investigating,” he said.
Letsoalo also showed a letter, on an Independent Newspapers letterhead, requesting information about a Land Rover with registration BD 55 CJ GP.
The letter, dated May 7, was addressed from The Star editor Makhudu Sefara.
Letsolo said Ismail would be on a week-long foreign trip and it would not be necessary for him to “step-down temporarily” while the investigation was carried out.
The Star reported on Thursday that Ismail owed the traffic department R6 500 for eight traffic fines.
He also displayed an invalid number plate and licence disc in one of his vehicles, the newspaper reported.
Ismail accused Independent Newspapers reporter Solly Maphumulo of making the unauthorised inquiry and acquiring information about his vehicles on eNaTIS.
"I have been made aware that Independent Newspapers and other colleagues internally (at the RTMC) made an unauthorised inquiry on the eNaTIS in my name... they have done so without due authorisation," he said.
"She, her employer and my colleagues (RTMC staff) have violated my rights and I will be seeking legal counsel to see how I must hold them to account."
Ismail said when the story broke, he checked and found that he had outstanding traffic fines.
The offences range from parking a vehicle on a public road in contravention of a road traffic sign, driving in excess of the applicable speed limit and failing to licence a vehicle.
He said he owned seven vehicles, four of which are vintage cars.
Regarding the reported use of invalid number plates, Ismail said he bought the Land Rover Discovery vehicle in February and ordered personalised number plates bearing "ASHREF GP".
That car was licensed by the dealer in February as indicated on eNaTIS. A week later, it was registered with ASHREF GP as the registration number.
“Since the personalised plates were not fitted, the car was parked off,” he said.
Ismail said the unlicensed car was a gift he bought for his son, which was later sold, and the speeding vehicle was a Jaguar test car driven by his wife.
"I was supposed to ensure that he (the son) licences the vehicle as I was still the registered owner of the vehicle. This was an oversight on my part and I would like to apologise to all South Africans and my employer," he said.
"It is a lesson for me and I will make sure that this does not recur."
Ismail said he settled the four outstanding fines, amounting to R4 000 on Friday and Saturday morning. He said some of the fines, relating to a
Peugeot 5008 were wrongfully issued in his name and would be re-directed.
Sefara dismissed Ismail's accusations.
"We think Mr Ismail should get his facts right. When he is able to substantiate the claims about the illegality of our reporter's conduct, we can then listen to him," Sefara said.
"We think that it would be in the interest of all parties that instead of making unsubstantiated claims, he should answer the question...as a man who is the face of law enforcement in the country, is it right for him to drive a car with false registration?"
Sefara said that for someone is his position, Ismail had to make sure he complied with the law.
"Where people like him do not comply with the law, it is our responsibility as journalists to expose them and make them account for their actions," he said.
