'This is an extension of the SMS traffic search system launched in January this year. The addition to the system is that now it can instantly pick up traffic offenses such as going through a red robot, enter that information into the contravention management system, then send the cell phone user a notification of that offense,' says Mokgatle Maesela, co-director of 2Big Mobile Applications, JMPD's IT partner.

Registered subscribers will be notified without prompting the system. Unregistered users can send their pin code number to 36997, and drivers that have not used the system at all can send their identification numbers to the same number to either register to subscribe or do an on-demand, once off query.

Initially, the service was available to only track outstanding warrants and summonses.