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Ekurhuleni Calls on Owners of Impounded Vehicles to Claim Them

Published

6 months ago

November 20, 2023

Ekurhuleni Calls on Owners of Impounded Vehicles to Claim Them

The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is urging owners of more than 700 impounded vehicles to claim their properties promptly or face the risk of losing them. On November 10, the city initiated a 30-day process to notify owners about the 735 vehicles earmarked for auction should they remain unclaimed.

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This diverse array includes 582 motor vehicles, 80 motorcycles, 53 trailers, 14 caravans, and six containers. These impoundments were carried out by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) by Regulation 319 (1) (2) of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996, targeting various transgressions.

Metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini clarified that Regulation 320 empowers traffic officers to remove vehicles violating city by-laws or posing dangers to traffic. This involves relocating the impounded vehicles, primarily to metro police pounds.

According to the National Road Traffic Act, vehicles left unattended on public roads outside urban areas for 24 hours can be deemed abandoned. Additionally, vehicles lacking proper license identification or featuring false license numbers can also be impounded.

Dlamini emphasised the obligation of vehicle owners to cover the costs of removal and storage unless the vehicle was reported stolen. Regulation 320(3) (a) and (b) of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) 93 of 1996 stipulate that if an impounded vehicle remains unclaimed for 120 days, and the owner fails to respond to notices, the council has the authority to dispose of the vehicle.

Owners seeking to reclaim their vehicles must visit the nearest EMPD pound with original proof of ownership (registration papers) and their identity document. The deadline for claiming these vehicles is December 11, 2023, after which the city will proceed with the auction.

Direct communications have been issued to the listed owners, urging them to claim their vehicles within the 30-day period from November 10. Should the city fail to sell the vehicles, it retains the discretion to dispose of them as deemed fit, with proceeds forfeited to the city.

Source: Ekurhuleni urges owners of impounded vehicles to come forward