[ourquest]

Hi all,
Just dug out some forgotton speeding fines (unpaid, of course). Will sort them out this week. In South Africa we get these in the post as "notice before summons", not really a legal document at all but still, does make me a bit nervous about the police clearance.
Interesting as well that in the EOI the declaration required under character section for any charge relating to dangerous driving could actually include speeding tickets issued in person (ie written out in the presence of both the driver and the officer). Or is "dangerous driving" something more severe?
Any thoughts?

[Bergita]

Hi
OH went through the same worries, he just paid them as soon as he could. Why don't you go to https://www.payfine.co.za/ and check what is outstanding? For what it's worth, I don't think speeding fines will put a blot on your police clearance, but I'm not sure. Don't worry too much, and good luck.
And by the way, congratulations on receiving your ITA!

[ourquest]

Thanks Bergita! I will go to the site you refer to.
Good luck and take care

[ourquest]

Just to follow up; I found 12 unpaid fines (not as many as it sounds, I travel about 50000km per year and the fines go back 3 years, so that is one fine per 12500km). It seems that www.payfine.co.za only helps for CT and JHB fines (I tracked 2 down on it...1 seems to have been paid and the other withdrawn from the system). Most of the fines were from the N1 (B.West, Colesberg etc) and I have phoned the relevant authorities this morning and 4 had been withdrawn, and the remaining 6 do have outstanding amounts (to a total of R1000.00 about $200 in NZ terms) and I just have to pay them and they will be cleared straight away off the system. I seriously doubt if these ever make it to any kind of central intelligence system (and hence police clearance) and in any case they are only notices at this stage...summons always have to be served on your person, so I can confirm this hasn't happened, except for 3 fines in the last few years which were written out in my presence (and subsequently paid).
So as promised I will go to the bank today and settle the 6 fines, and consider it a reminder that I am not the best paperwork person around (although strangely I am pretty much on top of the whole immigration thing...priorities!).
Thanks again Bergita, I truly hope your process is sorting itself out now. I think you were last trying to contact OH's future employer...any luck?

[kzn2nz]

Hahaha! Yes, I agree wholeheartedly regarding paperwork and priorities.

With fines, it will only get onto your record if you have received a summons and not appeared in front of a magistrate. That is something you do not want to do. Most of the fines in SA are sent unregistered and a summons not issued. This relates mainly to camera fines.

If the fine is written out and you don't pay it, then you automatically have to appear in front of a magistrate by a certain date, and if you don't, it is contempt of court and you will have a warrant for your arrest issued. Thereafter, life becomes a lot less pleasant!

For the NZ readers of this thread, African jails are not a pleasant place. There have been countless cases of sodomy and other heinous human rights abuses, even among awaiting trial prisoners. The rate of infection for HIV / AIDS in SA is the highest in the world. Hence, a night behind bars can permanently affect your future.

[ourquest]

Hey James, actually I was arrested once for two unpaid fines in the Northern Cape, I was young at the time and thought it quite amusing that I was carted off in an SAP van. I did sit in the front with the two policemen though, and paid my fines at their station in Kathu (between Kuruman and Olifantshoek). They then gave me a lift back to work.
A later incident involved a contempt of court fine on top of an unpaid fine which shows on the website as paid and settled (closed). Only time will tell if anything shows on police records; I doubt it, but this would be a pretty tame outcome in comparison with a night in the cells!

[kzn2nz]

Kathu!!! That is near Army Battle School... As they say, if the world had piles, that's where they would be!

[hoffenberg]

as i read this i would like to find out if my account at edgars will cause any hinderence for me getting to new zealand. i have been in touch with the edcon main branch in jo'burg and they refered me to an assistant here in durban. the durban assistant has not replied any emails of mine. i owed them R2000 but now they say my arrears is around R4200. i have not bought anything since february this year and its been months i havent used my account. every time they sending me account letters reminding me about my account and they refered me to the credit berau. they charge R70 per letter they send, so i emailed them to close my account as they (edgars) were making money out of me. if i get blacklisted with credit will i still be able to immigrate to nz. i have 2 freinds that were blacklisted and now they are permanent residents in nz. they owed around R30 000.

[ourquest]

as i read this i would like to find out if my account at edgars will cause any hinderence for me getting to new zealand.

Probably not, as I understand it if you receive a judgment against your name this would be a civil offence, not a criminal offence.

[ourquest]

And just for closure on this thread I can confirm that unpaid speeding fines DO NOT appear on the police clearance in South Africa.

Thanks to all who have been driving slowly just in case.