Sudan: Police issued new rules for foreign drivers in which they are not allowed to drive if they hold alien documentation.
The Traffic department’s Director-General Kon John Akot issued the directive banning all foreigners driving from operating any form of public transport vehicle in the country.
As per the new directions of the Traffic department, “if any foreign businessman has public vehicles and they want to work in the country, they should give them to drivers and patriots and not allowed to drive public transportation vehicles themselves.”
Akot also added that if any foreigner wants to obtain a driver’s license, they must first obtain their residence certificate as per the new guidelines for the companies.
And all the documents can be taken from the Ministry of Labour and the Department of Criminal Investigation Unit.
He said the details would easily help the Traffic Department, the foreign drivers for law enforcement.
“If the foreigner meets all the requirements we mentioned, the Traffic department will directly grant him the driver’s license immediately,” he said.
He attributed this to the need to tame rogue drivers causing accidents that mostly involve water trucks and motorcycles.
That South Sudan drives on the right is another reason which, according to Akot, makes it necessary to re-train the foreigners.
He directed the traffic police officers to lead a crackdown on motorcycles, cars without license plates, cars with tinted windows, and cars with temporary or expired plates.
He also gave a warning to the water truck drivers against speeding in the neighbourhood, adding that many accidents occurred due to overspeeding, which would have been avoidable.
He said that as a result of these cultures of impunity on the roads, criminal elements are taking advantage of it to kidnap innocent people, mostly women.
He also appealed to other law departments or institutions not to interfere with the directorate as it plans to clean up the sector.
“If we arrest a foreigner who violated our traffic rules, some national officials ask us to release him,” he complained.