The City Police and the Ministry of Justice last week granted motorists a breather by giving them another week to visit the City Police and magistrate's offices to inquire about outstanding fines and warrants of arrest.

The initial deadline was last week Friday, but last week Thursday it was extended to February 14. "This means that individuals with outstanding warrants now have an extended period to visit City Police offices, as well as the magistracy in order to settle the outstanding fees without the risk of being arrested," the City Police announced last Thursday.

"This final extension was granted as a token of understanding that some motorists need more time."

"Motorists are requested to visit the City Police traffic office to ascertain the outstanding warrants and fines and need not fear arrest at this time.

"Once the extension lapses, the City Police will continue with arrests at work places, as well as residences," City Police spokesperson Superintendent Helena Mootseng warned.

Approximately 8000 people have paid up leaving 42 000 who must still visit the City Police offices. Recently, the City Police raided the offices of the Windhoek Municipality arresting scores of municipal workers, as well as City Police officers with outstanding warrants of arrest for unpaid traffic fines.

The chief of the City Police Abraham Kanime, who masterminded the unprecedented swoop, informed the media the exercise serves to illustrate that no one would be spared the wrath of the City Police, in the ongoing operation against traffic fine violators with outstanding warrants of arrest.

The exercise, Kanime said at the time, is for the City Police to "first clean its house" before extending its campaign to other errant motorists in the city.