Why mental block about roadblocks?

There was a fascinating report in The Citizen last week about complaints that unscheduled JMPD roadblocks were being used as a cash cow to generate revenue for the cash-strapped City of Joburg.

- KEVIN RITCHIE

For once, it's difficult to not come down on the side of our traffic cops. It's their job to enforce bylaws and issuing fines is one of the key income creators for any municipality and has been since apartheid days.

There were many smaller municipalities where it was almost impossible to get from A to B without being stopped by a zealous traffic cop.

Back in the '70s and '80s, there were boetebessies in the Free State, meter maids to use another antediluvian expression, who - much like Maggie Thatcher - were ladies not for turning or even negotiating with once the top of their ballpoint pens were off.