'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.
'The SMS solution offers a quicker and convenient traffic offense tracking mechanism, a step towards better customer service,' says JMPD operations director, Derek Masoek.
This is the latest in the Integrated Management System (I2MS), a technological advancement project by JMPD aimed at improving policing in the city of JHB.
Motorists can also track live offenses via the city of JHB Web site on the e-services portal (http://www.joburg.org.za).
Masoek adds that there will be efforts to further enhance the system to allow for 'real time' information, i.e. being able to notify a subscriber seconds after committing a traffic-related offense.
'We want to move towards a highly advanced system to free up officers to focus on other law enforcement duties,' says Masoek.
He adds that moving towards a system that will have readily available information on offenses will ease up officers from a lot of administrative duties.
'That is the direction we are taking,' he adds.
Since the launch of the SMS search system in January, about 75,000 drivers have registered as subscribers.