News / 15 May 2025 / Albert du Toit

Major South African city going on car impound rampage

The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) has appealed to motorists to pick up their cars from its impound lots before they are auctioned off to the public.

The entity published a list of 170 movable properties that are filling up lots in Alberton, Boksburg, Brakpan, and Kempton Park, respectively.

These are split into three categories, comprising 137 motor vehicles, 12 motorcycles and burnt vehicles, and 21 trailers and caravans.

“We appeal to members of the public, who have their listed vehicles in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department Pound, to come forward and claim the vehicles,” said the entity.

Rightful owners have from today, 15 May, to 16 June 2025 to collect their vehicles from the pounds between the hours of 08h00 and 16h00, Monday through Friday.

Failing to claim the vehicles may result in them being sold in a form of a public auction and proceeds derived from this auction be dealt with as prescribed by the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA).

The abandoned properties are located at the following lots:

Class	Alberton	Boksburg	Brakpan	Kempton Park
Motor vehicles	33	45	33	26
Motorcycles and burnt vehicles	4	3	4	1
Trailers and caravans	9	0	5	7
Total	46	48	42	34

This isn’t the first time the EMPD has been forced to resort to calling on the public to claim their property.

Last year, it warned that as many as 173 cars, trailers, motorcycles, caravans, and containers were at risk of being destroyed should their owners fail to claim them.

Many of these vehicles were impounded after they were found to be in violation of municipal by-laws or the NRTA, while others were involved in accidents and remained unclaimed by their owners thereafter.

Once a car is impounded, the EMPD sends out several notices to registered owners as they appear on the National Traffic Information System, asking them to come forward and collect their property, but not all heed these calls.

With vehicles that have overstayed their welcome, the NRTA empowers the police to destroy them or sell them at auction to recoup costs incurred such as storage and towing fees.

The authorities warned those who are interested in these vehicles that many are from neighbouring countries and are technically not allowed on local roads even if driven by a South African citizen.

The prospective buyers should therefore consult with customs officers to determine whether it is legal to purchase a particular car, and how to go about registering it, before they make any financially binding decision.