Roadworthies: Back to square one
2011-03-04 13:02
The Retail Motor Industry organisation has welcomed a court order that again validates vehicle roadworthy certificates for six months.
An amendment to the Road Traffic Act published on November 25, 2010 unilaterally shortened the validity to 21 days, ostensibly to protect vehicle-buyers from mechanical deterioration that might have occurred during the six months.
RMI’s CEO Jeff Osborne said the shorter period meant vehicle retailers sometimes had to seek several roadworthies during the period a given vehicle remained in stock.
INCORRECT PROCEDURE
Osborne said the legislation was referred back to the inter-provincial policy procedure committee for investigation and on March 1, 2011 the National Department of Transport’s Director of Enforcement Legislation announced that the eNaTIS system would again accept certificates of roadworthiness for six months.
The immediate change was the result of an order issued by the North Gauteng High Court on the basis of incorrect procedure followed by the previous amendment.
Further consultation with industry role-players will, it is hoped, compromised by reducing the six months to three months.
