Page 4 - Motoring Issue 1 2021

FROM THE

MOTORING

EDITOR’S DESK

or most, the end of 2020 was greeted with relief. I, like In this issue, we welcome two
everybody, simply wanted to put the tumultuous year new contributors to the family.
Fbehind us and move on to 2021. Howard Dembovsky from Justice
From the motor industry perspective, it’s a case of looking Project SA (JPSA-org) presents
forward. After stalling sales and new model introductions for Howard’s Rant, his highly opinionated
most of the year, there was a flurry of activity at the end. Launch take on issues that affect everyone who uses our roads,
invitations for January and February have already been received. particularly regarding encounters with the law. Chris Wall will
After a brief break during level 5 lockdown, test car activity be contributing in the MotorSport arena.
resumed at an even greater rate than before. Online launches From all of us, we wish you a happy and, more importantly,
did take place, but this did not satisfy the need to touch, feel safe and healthy 2021.
and experience. In reality, a few days or a week with a car
provides far more insight than a digital reveal or even a short Alan Rosenmeyer
launch drive. alanr@motormatters.net

H HOOWWAARRDD’’SS RRAANNTT
think that it is safe to say that last year
was tough and that the so-called ‘new
Inormal’ is going to take quite some
getting used to. It brings some people
comfort that ‘we are all in this together’.
But I am sure I need not remind you that such offences will eventually be dealt with by the criminal justice system. Those who are
being in something ‘together’ and sharing convicted will get a criminal record. Conviction occurs when a person who was arrested
the same problems are not the same thing. pays an admission of guilt fine or is found guilty in court.
Accompanying the declaration of a Any person who sold cigarettes under so-called ‘levels 5 through 3’ of the lockdown
national state of disaster due to the was regarded as a criminal. Committing that ‘crime’ involved intent, as did walking on the
worldwide coronavirus pandemic, beach. It was not an ‘oopsie’, like being out of one’s home just after curfew. Then, at one
regulations were formulated according to second past midnight on 18 August 2020, and under level 2, selling smokes and walking
the Disaster Management Act. The said on the beach were perfectly legal again, although both would have to wait until 4am due
regulations represent decrees, rather to the curfew.
than laws made by the legislature. They But regardless of the offence that a person is convicted for, a criminal record is
do follow ordinary democratic processes imposed. It will endure for a minimum of ten years, before it can be expunged.
but they converted many everyday things I do not know how many people have been criminalised elsewhere in the world.
we do into criminal offences. Frankly, I do not care. What concerns me is the welfare of my fellow countrymen and
If you were and continue to be women. Sure, there is no point to laws if there are no consequences for contravening
fortunate enough to not violate any of them. But in my view, effectively sentencing people to a minimum of ten years of forced
them, consider yourself lucky. By 19 June unemployment goes way beyond draconian. It is cruel and it is not in the interests of
2020, almost 277 000 people had been society. It creates artificial criminals who may become real ones if they are excluded from
arrested for contravening them. The most employment.
common offence was ‘failure to confine Nothing prevented the powers that be from prescribing administrative fines instead of
oneself to one’s place of residence’ – in criminal offences regarding infringements of the lockdown regulations, yet the latter was
other words ‘failure to observe effective chosen. What kind of government chooses to add to its people’s suffering? Please do not
house arrest’. What that tally has grown say: “but decisions had to be taken quickly”.
to by now is anyone’s guess. With the return to a higher level of lockdown, new regulations still prescribe some
Although it may take some time to criminal offences. Should we return to an even higher level, all the other criminal offences
unfold, everyone who stands accused of will be back. That sucks. n

MOTORING | Issue 1, 2021 | 2