Johannesburg, South African officials admit that their speed cameras issue more than 13,200 inaccurate tickets each year.

"We issue 100,000 fines a month, and 98.9 percent are correct. If this happens, motorists are entitled to ask for the fine to be cancelled," Johannesburg Police spokesman Wayne Minnaar told The Star.

Assuming the minimum 100 Rand fine for each offense, the government is collecting R1.3 million annually from drivers who have done no wrong. Minnaar made his comments in response to a challenge by motorist Ronnie Frank who spent several hours on the phone defending himself against a ticket for driving 80 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. Other motorists who have received similar tickets often pay the fine not realizing that they have done nothing wrong.

Following the call, The Star journalist Anna Cox checked a fine she had received - only to find that she too had been fined R100 for travelling more than 80km/h on the same stretch of road. "Had Frank not called to alert us, I would simply have paid the fine. People should check their fines carefully before paying up," she said. "If this is happening on the M1, it could be happening on all the highways and everywhere that cameras are used."