Traffic fine seemingly gone away

[genetic]

I got an email from PayCity.co.za a week or so notifying me of a traffic fine for speeding (75km/h in a 60km/h zone).

The infringement had a notice number, date of offense (4 September 2016), speed, price of R400 and a mug shot. I decided to pay the fine today, but now it's not showing on PayCity anymore. It does not show in FNB either.

I had the notice number in the email I received a week back, so I searched for it in PayCity and got the following;



It now says invalid notice number with "status" as invalid, even though it shows a picture of my car. All the details are now missing too.

Why would the fine suddenly become invalid? Or is their system just down?

 

[LazyLion]

It happens a lot. It's why I don't pay fines until they actually issue a warrant of arrest or an AARTO Infringement order.
What happens is that a lot of fines get cancelled en masse for a variety of reasons...

1) There was some administrative issues with the fines - the site wasn't approved, the equipment was found to be faulty or uncalibrated, the operator's license was expired, etc.
2) There was a legal challenge to one of the fines which the city lost, and is now cancelling ALL the fines issued under the same regimen.
3) The fine notifications were sent out improperly or after a certain cut off date or did not follow the correct procedure.
4) Etc...

There are actually many, many different reasons why fines get cancelled and it shows just how many legal loops they have to jump through to get them to the actual offender.
It's also funnily enough, why our country is in such a mess in terms of road traffic enforcement.

If you happen to have paid one of those fines before they got cancelled though, you can't ask for a refund.

 

[Dean]

Why would the fine suddenly become invalid? Or is their system just down?

May be either one.

There is a message though on the fine payment portal that the service will be unavailable from 13:00 on 5 Nov until 6 Nov.
It's a bit ambiguous so to be careful, rather check back during the week to confirm.

May also be able to check at your local traffic dept/municipality offices.

 

[genetic]

There is a message though on the fine payment portal that the service will be unavailable from 13:00 on 5 Nov until 6 Nov.

I just saw that now too - so I guess it may be too early to tell.

It happens a lot. It's why I don't pay fines until they actually issue a warrant of arrest or an AARTO Infringement order.
What happens is that a lot of fines get cancelled en masse for a variety of reasons...

I have yet to see a City of Cape Town fine just disappear. I drive the R27 almost daily and know that I often go over the speed limit.

All fines I've received in the past seem to be legit - so I just pay them.

My guess is that their system is offline as PayCity now says.



Fingers crossed that it will just disappear... Doubt it though.

 

[stroller]

It happens a lot. It's why I don't pay fines until they actually issue a warrant of arrest .....

Surely you mean a summons to appear in Court?

 

[LazyLion]

Surely you mean a summons to appear in Court?

No... I mean the warrant of arrest. I don't pitch for any proposed court dates. In 30 years of driving I've only ever had two warrants issued and both of them I just paid the fine when the guy rocked up at my work address with the warrants.
Shows you just how many fines go nowhere.
Cape Town might be more "on the ball" than Joburg though.

 

[rikg]

Sounds dodgy...