Two more months.
That is the time Namibians with outstanding traffic fines have been given to settle their debts.
There should be no more excuses.
The extension of the traffic fine amnesty is a welcome decision, but it must also be the last wake-up call for motorists who have treated traffic fines as pieces of paper that can be ignored indefinitely.
A traffic fine is not a suggestion.
It is not a bill that can simply be forgotten.
It is a consequence of breaking the law.
Yet, over the years, a culture of ignoring traffic fines has taken root among some motorists.
Fines accumulate, motorists carry on driving and the expectation grows that government will eventually announce another waiver, reduction or amnesty.
That attitude must end.
The latest two-month extension gives motorists a valuable opportunity to clear their records and settle what they owe.
Those who have outstanding fines should use it.
Do not wait for another announcement.
Do not gamble on another extension.
Do not complain when enforcement measures eventually catch up with you.
Pay the fines.
There is a bigger issue at stake than money.
Namibia continues to battle the devastating consequences of reckless and irresponsible driving.
Families lose fathers, mothers, children and breadwinners on our roads.
People are left with permanent injuries.
Vehicles are destroyed.
Lives are disrupted.
And behind many of these tragedies are decisions that could have been avoided.
Speeding.
Drunk driving.
Reckless overtaking.
Ignoring traffic signs.
Driving without due care and attention.
These are not harmless offences.
They can kill.
This is why settling outstanding fines should be accompanied by a change in behaviour.
Paying a fine does not give anyone permission to continue breaking the law.
The real objective must be responsible road use.
Government, for its part, must ensure that the amnesty is administered fairly and efficiently.
The public must receive clear information on the qualifying fines, payment procedures and deadlines.
There should be no unnecessary obstacles for motorists who genuinely want to comply.
But government cannot do everything.
There must be personal responsibility.
An amnesty is a second chance, not a permanent escape route.
If motorists repeatedly ignore the law because they believe another amnesty will eventually arrive, the authority of the law is undermined.
There is also an issue of fairness.
Thousands of Namibians pay their fines when they are issued and comply with the law.
They should not be treated as fools while others deliberately avoid their obligations in the hope that government will eventually wipe their slate clean.
The two-month extension should therefore be treated as an opportunity, not an invitation to procrastinate.
Check your record.
Find out what you owe.
Make the payment.
Clear your name.
And, more importantly, change your behaviour behind the wheel.
Namibia does not need motorists who only obey traffic laws when they fear being caught.
It needs motorists who understand that road safety is a shared responsibility.
The clock is ticking.
Two months.
One opportunity.
No more excuses.
