Christmas Goat or Steering Wheel? Drivers Must Choose

(OPINION / Fox Onyango) – As South Sudan prepares for Christmas, a season normally reserved for peace, patience and overdraft prayers, the Traffic Police have decided to deliver their own festive gift in the form of a seven day ultimatum.

Major General Kon John Akot, the Director General of Traffic Police, appeared in Juba like a headmaster before final exams and announced new traffic orders. Motorists now have one week to remove tinted windows, flip steering wheels from right to left and rearrange minibus doors or face fines, impoundment or a long friendship with the tow truck.

In short, Christmas shopping just got mechanical.

Tinted Windows

Tinted windows, long beloved by drivers who treat their vehicles like private confession booths, are now officially unwanted. Police want to see inside every car, like aunties checking saucepans at a wedding.

Drivers have been directed to remove stickers or replace dark glass with clear ones. According to police logic, a visible interior improves security and allows the mangoes in your car back seat to be seen by everyone.

“If your window is dark, your intentions will be suspected.”

Right Hand Drive Cars:

South Sudan drives on the right side of the road, yet many vehicles are imported with steering wheels on the right side, usually from countries where cars drive like stubborn goats, on the left.

Traffic Police say this must change. Right hand drive vehicles must be converted so the steering wheel sits on the left. The idea is simple. The execution, not so much.

Converting a right hand drive vehicle involves:

+ Relocating the steering column

+ Changing the dashboard

+ Modifying pedal assemblies

+ Adjusting wiring and braking systems

+ Labour by skilled mechanics (or brave ones)

How Much Will It Cost?

On average, conversion costs range between USD 1,200 and USD 2,500, depending on vehicle type and parts availability.

Using the real market rate of $1 = SSP 7,100 (and politely ignoring the central bank’s fantasy figures):

• USD 1,200 ≈ SSP 8,520,000

• USD 2,500 ≈ SSP 17,750,000

That is the cost of a small wedding, minus the cows.

One car owner in Juba agreed: “This steering wheel will cost more than my children’s school fees and my Christmas goat combined.”

Minibus Doors

Minibuses, the lifeline of urban transport, are also affected. Sliding doors must now be on the right side, so passengers step onto the pavement rather than into moving traffic.

This makes sense, but many minibuses were designed for different countries, different roads, and different levels of optimism. Modifying doors is expensive and technically challenging, especially when spare parts are rarer than punctual buses.

 Old Decisions, New Enforcement

Police insist the order is not new. It comes from:

• A 2019 Cabinet decision

• A 2020 Ministry of Trade directive on vehicle standards

Like a forgotten bill resurrected at Christmas, the law has returned when wallets are weakest.

Politics in the Background

Meanwhile, Parliament and the Ministry of Interior are arguing over traffic fees, licences and logbooks. Lawmakers want explanations. Police want compliance. Drivers just want to reach home without being stopped every 500 metres.

After the seven day grace period, enforcement will be “strict”, which in South Sudan usually means selective and unpredictable.

For drivers, this season is about the choice between a goat or the garage. Mechanics will be busier than pastors on Christmas Eve, and spare parts dealers may finally upgrade their phones.

“When the law wakes up suddenly, the driver must either obey or start walking.”

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Disclaimer: Opinions ahead!

Access Radio® publishes opinion pieces to let people talk, complain, joke and occasionally exaggerate about the state of the world. The views expressed here are those of the author, not necessarily the station or your favourite minibus driver. Readers are encouraged to fact check, laugh responsibly and avoid using this article to fix their cars.