11 Jul 2013

Director of Traffic, Senior Assistant Commissioner Katlholo Mosimanegape has appealed to licensed motor vehicle panel beating companies and garage owners to assist the police in identifying suspects involved in hit and run accidents.

Mr Mosimanegape made the appeal at a meeting he held recently with motor vehicle panel beaters to explore the possibility of a partnership in investigating road traffic accidents.

He said the police were concerned about motor vehicles that got involved in unreported road accidents and ended up in panel beaters, thereby destroying and defeating police investigations.

Thus, he appealed to garage owners to inform the police about any vehicle brought to their workplaces which they suspected to have been involved in a road accident not reported to the police.

He said as business people, it is their social responsibility to report anyone who they suspected to be involved in any criminal activities.

He said with the help of panel beaters, police would be able to successfully investigate suspicious incidents of hit and run accidents in which suspects had not been identified.

Mr Mosimanegape said panel beaters must always ensure that before they repaired any vehicle brought to them, they checked with the police if the accident was reported to them.

He suggested that they should maintain registers of vehicles they repair on daily basis. ENDS