Western Cape Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie handed over the second batch of high-performance vehicles of a controversial fleet of luxury BMWs to three municipalities.
Also read: 110 BMWs bought by the Western Cape Government stand idle
On Thursday, 36 vehicles were delivered to the Worcester, Beaufort West and Laingsburg traffic centres. The fleet of the new 3-Series BMW sparked heavy debate among opposition parties when it was procured for R63 million in 2022 for the traffic police and then stood idle for nearly a year.
‘Everyone wants to know why we procured these high-performance vehicles and why not a Polo,’ says Mackenzie. ‘These vehicles have advanced in-vehicle technology, which includes licence plate recognition cameras, which will enable provincial traffic officers to be even more effective in making the Western Cape safe and reducing the number of road crash fatalities.’
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He further defended the purchase by saying that the vehicles would be useful because criminals were ‘using high-performance and advanced vehicles coupled with intelligence to dodge policing’.
According to News24, the fleet stood idle because the vehicles were not fit for purpose and tender to fit technology. This includes emergency lights, a number plate recognition device, and in-vehicle cameras for traffic law enforcement.
To date, 67 vehicles have been handed over to law enforcement entities. Mackenzie says the cars will be used across the province. ‘All the 122 [vehicles] will be rolled out across the province… You need to fight crime intelligently and these vehicles are what we need to make our roads safer.’
The Western Cape Government again reiterated that the vehicles are not standard sedans, but ‘specialised vehicles that have been converted and optimised for the work of traffic law enforcement on the main provincial and national roads. The use of advanced in-vehicle technology, which includes licence plate recognition cameras, will enable Provincial Traffic officers to be even more effective in making the Western Cape safe and reducing the number of road crash fatalities.’
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Also read:
31 high-performance BMWs handed over to traffic law enforcement
Picture: Ricardo Mackenzie / Facebook
