http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1377
There was no truth to reports that breathalyser testing was stopped in the Western Cape, the Western Cape transport department said on Monday.
Testing with the Dräger machines will continue as usual, department head Robert Carlisle said in a statement.
"Neither the Western Cape provincial government nor the director of public prosecutions has received any instruction from the National Prosecution Authority to stop using the Dräger breathalyser machines to test drunk driving."
Newspaper reports in the Cape on Monday said breathalyser tests were invalid. Carlisle said these reports distorted the facts.
"The fight against drunken killers on our roads is one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa."
He said drivers were still tested with the system over the weekend.
"No escape"
"It is vital to understand that there are four stand-alone evidential methods: the police officers' testimony, video testimony of the accused at Shadow [Safely Home Anti Drunk-driving Operations War room] which is admissible in court, the Dräger result, and blood samples when drawn.
"Any of these can be used to secure a prosecution of driving under the influence of alcohol or drunk driving."
Carlisle said the Western Cape's approach was to use at least three of these methods in every case.
"There is no escape. I want to send out this message loud and clear: anyone who drinks and drives tonight and is stopped by the law enforcement agencies will be taken to Shadow to be tested. If they are over the legal alcohol limit, they will be arrested and taken to the cells like any other night."
The NPA said drunk drivers caught in Gauteng recently could be off the hook after the breathalyser device used to test them was suspended.
"The Dräger machine has been suspended in Gauteng for the past two weeks due to a certification problem," spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said.
"We have also withdrawn all drunken driving cases which had not yet started that relied solely on the machine's readings."
Case against ANC spokesman in jeopardy
Mhaga said the NPA was still in talks with authorities in other provinces about use of the breathalyser. If these talks resulted in the suspension of the breathalyser, it could mean the end of the state's case against ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu. Mthembu was arrested in Cape Town last Thursday, allegedly for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was only tested with the Dräger device.
Neither Carlisle nor Mhaga could comment immediately on whether Mthembu's case would be dropped.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said there was nothing wrong with the devices.
"All the machines need to comply with the country's standards is the SABS [SA Bureau of Standards] stamp and we hope they would be functional soon. For now we only use the breathalyser for screening before taking the driver for a blood test."
The Road Traffic Act governs drunk driving prosecutions, and the machines have to comply with national standards.
The Star newspaper quoted Dräger product manager for breathalyser equipment Chris Vertue saying a change in prosecutorial guidelines had caused the machines to fall outside the necessary certification. There were no defects with the machines.
Vertue said the company was waiting for the relevant paperwork from Germany before sending the machines to be re-certified. This could take several months.
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Crackdown on unsafe buses
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The North West department of public safety will test 600 buses for roadworthiness, MEC Howard Yawa said on Monday.
Yawa said his department would test the buses during the next 10 days, starting on Tuesday.
"The operation is intended to guarantee a safer bus transport system during and beyond Easter and leading up to the Soccer World Cup in June," said Yawa.
The operation would be structured in such a way that it didn't unnecessarily disrupt the routine operations.
"Official instruction has, as per Road Traffic Act, been given to all bus companies to avail their buses for roadworthiness tests at testing centres in their respective municipalities."
Buses found in a critical condition would be removed from the roads.
"Those found with minor defects would be subjected to another round of tests after repairs," said Yawa.
Last year, 23 buses were scrapped off the road in a similar operation when 345 buses were tested.
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'Electronic' tolls come to SA
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Open road tolling is an equitable method for motorists to pay for what they use, the SA National Roads Agency said on Tuesday.
"This is because the capital raised via tolls is directly returned to the toll road network," Sanral's project manager Alex van Niekerk told a media briefing in Johannesburg on the progress of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.
Open road tolling on Gauteng freeways - due to be implemented in April next year - means transactions would be conducted electronically without traffic flow being impeded and tariffs being collected. Physical tolling booths would be eliminated, eradicating delays and vehicle emissions associated with stop-start driving.
Overhead gantries would be placed along Gauteng's newly-upgraded roads.
"The gantries will have detection devices and will pick up details from the e-tag which the motorist will have on the windscreen of the vehicle."
Automatic deduction
Devices on the gantry would record the vehicle's number plate and money would be taken off motorists' credit cards or out of their bank accounts.
If a motorist had no money in his or her account, Sanral would take a "tough stand". It would also not tolerate motorists with no e-tag or account.
"An invoice will be sent to motorists who have no money in their accounts and after that, if no progress has been made, the legal process will begin."
Van Niekerk said it would be easy for motorists to obtain an e-tag and open an account.
"There will be a user-friendly call centre as well as a dedicated website for this purpose. We will also set up kiosks at shopping centres."
One million accounts expected
Sanral expected one million accounts to eventually be opened.
The toll roads would cost 50 cents per kilometre.
Van Niekerk estimated a motorist travelling between the Pretoria and Johannesburg CBDs on a return trip would have to pay about R25.
"But we will have discounts for frequent users. We want to make this as affordable as possible."
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Bad roads 'costing SA billions'
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Poor road maintenance caused 1 694 deaths and cost around R10 billion a year between 2004 and 2008, a Road Traffic Management Corporation official told parliamentarians on Tuesday.
Hlengani Moyana, an RTMC research manager, told the portfolio committee on transport the findings of the research, conducted between 2004 and 2008, indicated an urgent need for funds "for maintenance issues".
"Fatal crashes accounted for 1 694 casualties on average and the cost thereof was over R1.3 billion," he said.
"Overall, on average over the five years, just road maintenance related crashes accounted for almost R10 billion per annum.
Lack of funds
"When we looked at the problem that resulted from poor maintenance, we discovered there is a need to have funds for maintenance issues."
He said provinces had indicated they felt road maintenance was "something they are not expected to do".
"Those that do assessments sometimes put the reports away instead of implementing the recommendations," Moyana said.
"When we wanted to know why, they attributed lack of action to lack of funds. If we can think of ways to raise funds to address this infrastructure problem we can go a long way to solving the problem."
Potholes
Chief executive of the SA National Roads Agency, Nazir Alli, told the committee he believed potholes were caused by "poor management systems", not a lack of funds.
"I am of the opinion that potholes are a manifestation of poor management systems in the different road authorities. It is not a lack of money. It is an issue on how effective are we in our expenditure."
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VW Officially Announces R GmbH Performance Arm
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Volkswagen has officially launched the new R GmbH performance subsidiary.
Meant to meet the "increased global demand for individualized vehicles with contemporary sportiness and exclusivity", the subsidiary will handle sales and development of high performance and Exclusive (aka Individual) models. In essence, R GmbH is Volkswagen's answer to BMW's M and Mercedes' AMG divisions.
Described as the "specialist for sporty exclusive models from Volkswagen in the future," R GmbH has already taken responsibility for the Scirocco R, the Golf R, the R-Line design packages, and the aforementioned Exclusive range.
Based in Warmenau, Germany (near VW's Wolfsburg headquarters) R GmbH employs a staff of more than 350 people. In the future, the subsidiary promises to intensely the sportiness of Volkswagen R models.
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ENCO Exclusive Audi Q5
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German tuners Enco Exclusive have developed a new set of modifications for the Audi Q5. Although parts can be purchased separately.
The package put together for the five-door is meant to reflect a similar look as the Enco Q7, though there are distinct differences between the two bumpers. LED daytime running lights have been built in alongside enlarged air inlets, and a new hood lays above it all. New sidesills lead to a remodeled rear that now includes a rear spoiler and dual oval exhaust pipes seen on the Q7.
Carbon fiber has been used throughout the interior. Also thrown into the mix are 10x22-inch monoblock wheels wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires. Wheels come standard in silver and can be painted if desired.
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Maybach Brand to be Shut Down
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British mag Auto Express is reporting that Daimler executives have a plan in place to close the door on Maybach. The ultra-luxury brand, purchased by Daimler-Benz in 1960, was restarted as an automotive brand in 2002 following the 1997 introduction of the Mercedes-Benz Maybach concept in Tokyo.
Maybach was founded as a heavy-duty engine production company in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach, a former technical director at Daimler. The company's first concept car debuted in 1919, and began assembly of extravagant vehicles two years later. The company halted automotive production in 1940, when they began building engines for German tanks in World War II. Car manufacture stalled for 60 years.
Sales at Maybach have flatlined since 2007, and were made worse by the global economic downturn. Further, Daimler may be looking to block Maybach from cannibalizing sales within their house brand, as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is scheduled for release in 2014. The S-Class is set to be a top-shelf car with an impressive touch screen that lets the user control most interior functions with hand gestures.
Maybach's short-term plans include a facelift only, and no new engines. A redesign will include LED daytime lights, new grille, freshened bumper, and a hood with a new look. The facelifted Maybach could get a debut in April at the Beijing Auto Show.
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Are Cosmic Rays Causing Acceleration Problems?
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According to a recent report, U.S. regulators are investigating a potential link between cosmic rays and Toyota's sudden acceleration problem.
While details are limited, an anonymous tipster told National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officials that Toyota's microprocessors, memory chips and software could be susceptible to interference caused by radiation from cosmic rays. Despite sounding crazy, the tipster's complaint is creditable considering that airplanes and satellites are affected by single event upsets (SEUs).
For years, scientists have known cosmic rays can cause computer and electronic errors, but as the tipster indicated, "the automotive industry has yet to truly anticipate SEUs." This is an interesting possibility, as today's small circuits could be thwarted by cosmic radiation.
When the Detroit Free Press asked Toyota for comment, the company responded by saying their systems are designed for "absolute reliability" and "the durability, size, susceptibility and specifications of the automotive electronics make them robust against this type of interference."
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