“It Is a Traffic Offence”: Cape Town Man Faces Court After Jaywalking Fine Sparks Online Debate
- A Cape Town man has been fined for jaywalking and is set to appear in court to contest the penalty
- The incident has sparked a debate about the enforcement of traffic laws and pedestrian safety in South Africa
- Reactions on social media have been mixed, with some sympathising with the man and others supporting the enforcement of traffic regulations
A man in Cape Town has sparked conversation after being fined for jaywalking. He says he will have to appear in court from the 8th to the 11th over the matter.
Source: TikTok
The video that he posted on 9 October 2025 on TikTok under the handle @kennethbrookes3 shows the man venting about what he views as an unfair penalty after being apprehended for crossing the road away from a pedestrian crossing or designated intersection. He also revealed that he was required to pay R500 in fines.
In South Africa, jaywalking is covered under road safety and traffic regulations rather than a specific “jaywalking law,” but the legal basis is clear. Regulation 316 of the National Road Traffic Act requires pedestrians to use crossings at intersections or pedestrian crossings wherever available. If there is no crossing within 50 metres, they may cross elsewhere, but only if doing so does not endanger themselves or other road users.
According to IOL News, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has also warned against "pedestrian lawlessness," noting that 41% of road fatalities are pedestrians, many resulting from unsafe crossing behaviour. Jaywalking, crossing roads in places not designated for pedestrians, or disobeying traffic lights or signals, is considered irresponsible and may lead to fines or arrest.
During the clip, the TikTok user @kennethbrookes3 expressed frustration at having to face court over what many see as a minor violation. He is set to appear in the magistrate’s court to respond to the fine.
Reactions on social media have been mixed. Some sympathise with him, saying that enforcement is sometimes overzealous, especially when crossings are poorly signposted or inconvenient, while others counter that rules are necessary for safety, especially given how many pedestrians are injured or killed on South Africa’s roads each year.
According to South African government stats, pedestrian fatalities remain a major concern, with pedestrians accounting for 41% of all road fatalities.
According to the RTMC State of Road Safety Report, pedestrians accounted for 45.11% of all traffic deaths in South Africa in 2023. In general, over 44% of the more than 12,000 traffic fatalities that occur each year are pedestrians.
Source: TikTok
People share their thoughts on the jaywalking
The online community flooded the comments section, expressing their thoughts on the man being fined for jaywalking.
Raquel Munn said:
"Can we also start enforcing the urinating in public offence too. That has been illegal forever."
H Wolf expressed:
"Cape Town is getting desperate for money, eish."
Sam stated:
"But taxis can offload passengers on the N2 at the Mowbray off-ramp to the Main Road. Why are those passengers not being fined and the taxi drivers for offloading passengers on the freeway?"
Kiki was amused, adding:
"First time I've ever seen a ticket for jaywalking."
Mellow Oke replied:
"About time they start applying the law. Sorry, you were the one they made an example of. Jaywalking is a traffic offence."
Thembsie commented:
"I’m the first person in my generation to see a person in SA getting fined for jaywalking."
Watch the video below:
More articles by Briefly News
- A Mzansi woman had one of the worst days when she arrived at work with dirty shoes because of a taxi.
- A Johannesburg driver shared a TikTok post commenting on a traffic encounter between a taxi and a Ford bakkie.
- A KwaZulu-Natal taxi driver gave his passengers a morning show after they complained about his driving.
Source: Briefly News
