KZN Transport Department vows legal action against illegal blue light users

The KwaZulu-Natal Transport Department has condemned the abuse of blue lights by unauthorised persons and has vowed to take legal steps against those flouting the regulation.

This comes after Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officers confiscated a blue dashboard light during a roadblock in Umhlanga, north of Durban, last week.

While it was later established that the vehicle was transporting a municipal official, the department maintains that the use of the light was illegal.

Transport MEC Siboniso Duma briefed the media on Friday.

"Upon searching the vehicles, the RTI discovered they were in violation of regulation 176 of the National Road Traffic Act (93 of 1996). RTI found the following: One Blue Light: reserved for Traffic Officers, Members of the South African Police Service and Members of the SANDF Military Police."

Duma said that although the vehicles were transporting a municipal official, the law must be enforced.

"Our RTI has subsequently been contacted by the Acting Municipal Manager from Nongoma Local Municipality. He confirmed that the drivers were transporting the deputy mayor and that they were not aware of the legal framework regarding identification lights," Duma added.