At least 400 vehicles were taken off Gauteng’s roads in January 2026 as intensified law enforcement operations targeted lawlessness, criminal activity and non-compliance in the transport sector.
The Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI), working alongside the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), reported strong enforcement outcomes following coordinated stop-and-search operations conducted across the province.
“During January 2026, intensified enforcement operations were conducted across key transport corridors in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Tshwane, specifically targeting major public and scholar transport routes identified as high-risk,” the department said.
Hundreds of vehicles removed from roads
According to the GTI, a total of 148 vehicles were impounded during the month, 46 in Tshwane, 41 in Johannesburg and 61 in Ekurhuleni.
In addition, 259 minibus taxis were discontinued after failing to meet roadworthiness requirements, bringing the total number of vehicles removed from operation to more than 400.
“Critical defects identified included faulty braking systems, worn tyres, non-functioning headlights, brake lights and indicators, and cracked windscreens.
“These conditions pose a significant risk to passengers and other road users,” the inspectorate said.
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Thousands of fines and dozens of arrests
Enforcement officers issued more than 5 800 infringement notices during the operations, including over 2 600 manual infringement notices and 3 255 electronic infringement notices.
Among the violations recorded were 372 minibus taxi drivers operating without valid driving licences and 456 minibuses operating without valid licence discs.
Seventy-three arrests were made during January, with the majority linked to drunk driving.
“[These included] 59 for driving under the influence, 5 for fraud, 4 for bribery and possession of fraudulent documents, 3 for immigration contraventions, one for illegal possession of ammunition, and one for reckless and negligent driving.”
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‘Compliance is not optional’
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, said the impounding of illegal and unroadworthy vehicles sent a clear warning to offenders.
“We are removing dangerous vehicles from our roads to protect lives. Compliance with the law is not optional, and those who endanger road users through negligence, corruption or criminal behaviour will be met with decisive action,” Diale-Tlabela said.
She added that discontinuing unroadworthy vehicles remained critical in reducing road crashes, injuries and fatalities, particularly in the public and scholar transport sector.
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