So you’ve been caught breaking the rules of the road, and the traffic cop hauls you over to the side of the road.

At this stage, you have a few options. You can accept your ticket, which you may or may not pay at a later stage, or you can dangle that carrot to see if a bribe will make that ticket disappear.

According to a 2017 survey, the average traffic ticket bribe is R205, but I guess you have to allow for inflation, so I’m not sure how much dosh needs to change hands these days.

What you don’t do, however, is hand the cash directly to the traffic cop. No, no, that’s rookie stuff, so maybe you can learn from this exchange between a motorist and a cop filmed on the R59 freeway next to Alberton on Monday.

The money goes in the boot, not the hands, which you’ll see around the 1:20 mark:

TAXI OPERATING ILLEGALLY? NO FEAR! JUST PAY YOUR RESPECTS & U CAN CONTINUE ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF THE COMMUTERS. THIS WAS EARLIER ON THE R59 AFTER SOUTH RAND ROAD. SOUTHCREST. ALBERTON. COE. GP. @SAPoliceService @GTP_Traffstats @GautengProvince @FaithMazibukoSA @cci_network pic.twitter.com/xJ2ugKk12T

— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) September 28, 2020

Easy as you like, and off you go sans ticket.

TimesLIVE spoke with Gauteng traffic department spokesperson Sello Maremane, who said they were aware of the video, and an investigation is underway:

He said the department viewed bribery and corruption as “unethical and unprofessional”.

“The Gauteng traffic police expect its officers to conduct themselves in an ethical manner and with the highest form of integrity,” said Maremane.

Perhaps the officer will be held accountable, and perhaps not.

I am genuinely interested in finding out how much money was dished out, just to see what the going rate is these days.

[source:timeslive]