[imagesource: Twitter / @CityofJoburgZA]

Johannesburg traffic cops have reached peak irony.

When a motorist was stopped and ticketed for a vehicle licence disc that expired in January, he decided to check that the disc on the minibus used by Johannesburg Metropolitan police Department (JMPD) officers was also up to date.

He was shocked to find that their disc had expired too – on September 30, 2020, nogal.

TimesLIVE identified the man as 55-year-old Mike Klipin who was pulled over on Sunday morning as he was heading towards Killarney at the corner of Beryl Street and Joe Slovo Drive in Yeoville.

I know Mike Klipin and can confirm this is entirely on brand https://t.co/LdZarkDn8S

— Antony Altbeker (@antonyaltbeker) November 21, 2022

A friend asked Klipin if he could share the pictures and story on social media, which subsequently went viral for reasons Kliplin very much understands:

“I think the reason it was retweeted and shared so many times is that my situation was a reflection of the frustration average Johannesburg residents are feeling about City of Joburg service delivery, or lack thereof.”

Klipin said that first of all, he didn’t realise that his licence was expired, and second, he had been “waved through several JMPD roadblocks without anyone saying anything” before.

When he was stopped this time, although the traffic cops were “very pleasant and extremely professional”, he couldn’t help but potentially catch them out too:

“When I saw the minibus’ expired disc I couldn’t help myself, and asked the officer if he was going to write himself a fine too.

“But to be fair, the officer was in a difficult position. He has to do his job and it is not his responsibility to ensure JMPD vehicles have up-to-date discs.

“I went in the next morning and renewed my disc. I don’t know if the JMPD can say the same,” Klipin laughed.

IOL notes that JMPD spokesperson, Xolani Fihla, said they are aware that some vehicles have expired licence discs, including the Toyota Quantum and Nissan Impendulo minibus at the scene with Klipin:

“Afrirent Fleet Management, the service provider, is responsible for the renewal of JMPD vehicle licence discs, but there was a challenge with the renewals of the vehicles mentioned above because the JMPD Business Register Number was blocked at the Licensing Department and this made it impossible to licence these vehicles,” he said.

Apparently, the Toyota Quantum and Nissan Impendulo minibus have both been fitted with up-to-date discs since.

But Klipin found another gripe at the traffic department, saying that when he tried to renew his disc, he found it unfair that was told he had R600 in unpaid fines which he had to settle before his disc could be renewed:

“I have never received any summons for unpaid traffic fines. It is every South African’s right to wait for a summons. What if you want to contest the fine in court? Being forced to pay a fine [for which] you have not received a summons is nothing less than a tax payer being held ransom.”

This guy is op it, let me just tell you.

And all in good humour, too.

[sources:iol&timeslive]