The City of Cape Town has moved a step closer to stricter enforcement against reckless drivers, with the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee approving amendments to the City’s Traffic By-law.
The Cape Town Traffic By-law amendments expand the City’s powers to impound vehicles involved in dangerous or unlawful conduct on public roads. The City says the changes aim to reduce dangerous driving, improve vehicle safety and strengthen nuisance control in public transport operations.
When vehicles can be impounded
Under the amended by-law, authorities will be able to impound vehicles linked to illegal street racing, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without a valid licence, reckless driving that endangers passengers, pedestrians or other road users, and vehicles fitted with false number plates.
Following public participation, a further provision allows impoundment of vehicles causing excessive noise in contravention of Section 46 of the existing by-law.
City response
Committee chairperson Councillor Mzwakhe Nqavashe said the amendments would support a no-tolerance approach to reckless driving and encourage responsible driver behaviour.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, said the City’s Traffic Service continues to face a high volume of complaints. “Our Traffic Service cannot keep up with the avalanche of complaints about driving behaviour, and not just in the public transport sector,” Smith said in a press release to DailyPod.
Smith added that the by-law had been revised “to enable our staff to take tougher action against those road users who appear incapable of showing any regard for law, order and the right to life of those around them.”
Next steps
The public participation process ran from 19 September to 7 November 2025 and received 132 submissions, with 24 directly addressing the proposed amendments. The amendments will now move to the Mayoral Committee before being tabled at a full Council meeting for final approval. If approved, they will be published in the Government Gazette before implementation.
