Cape Town has stepped up its campaign against illegal parking with the arrival of a powerful new addition to its Traffic Services fleet — a vertical lift truck designed to handle cars that ordinary tow trucks can’t reach.
This state-of-the-art vehicle has already proven its worth, lifting six illegally parked cars off the city’s streets within its first week of service. The introduction of the vertical lift truck marks another milestone in the City’s ongoing efforts to address reckless parking practices that disrupt traffic flow and endanger pedestrians.
Reinforcing the Fleet
Although the vertical lift truck isn’t a completely new concept for Cape Town — the City previously relied on a contracted version a few years ago — this is the first time it has permanently secured such a vehicle for its fleet.
Alderman JP Smith, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, explained that once the original contract ended, officials began working on the specifications for a replacement. That planning process has now paid off, with the vertical lift truck officially joining the Traffic Services’ fleet during the current financial year.
This latest addition brings the total number of towing vehicles operated by the City to seven, with plans already in place to expand the fleet further by adding three more in the near future.
Raising the Standard for Enforcement
What sets the vertical lift truck apart is its unique lifting mechanism, which allows it to pick up vehicles parked in tight or obstructive spaces — locations where conventional tow trucks simply can’t operate.
Smith highlighted the vehicle’s early success, noting that while six cars were lifted in its first week, the number is expected to climb as enforcement teams become more familiar with the new equipment.
“It’s still early days, but the forklift-style system makes the process much easier,” Smith said. “This should serve as a clear warning to drivers who think they can flout the rules and park wherever they please.”
Understanding the Law on Impoundment
Under Cape Town’s Traffic By-law, specifically Section 56, vehicles can be removed if they are illegally parked and obstructing traffic or pedestrian flow. The National Road Traffic Act also allows vehicles to be classified as abandoned if they are left on public roads or in parking spaces for extended periods, creating hazards for other road users.
According to the City, complaints about illegal and obstructive parking are a daily occurrence, and the Traffic Services department has been actively towing vehicles that violate parking laws. Over the past nine months, 352 vehicles were impounded for offenses ranging from obstruction to outright abandonment.
Once impounded, vehicle owners must settle both a fine and an impound release fee before they can reclaim their cars. If a vehicle remains unclaimed for three months, the City has the authority to auction it off to recover costs, or send it for scrapping if it’s deemed unroadworthy.
A Clear Message to Motorists On Illegal Parking
The arrival of the vertical lift truck sends a strong message to motorists across Cape Town: illegal parking won’t be tolerated, and the City now has the tools to enforce the rules even more effectively. As Smith put it, the days of getting away with parking violations are numbered.
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