Biker charged with child endangerment, reckless driving
A biker caught on camera recklessly speeding through Edenvale with a young child wearing only a bicycle helmet will face two criminal charges.
In the one-and-half minute video, the biker is seen riding recklessly through Edenvale after leaving a shopping centre in Dowerglen.
Outraged viewers of the clip called for the man’s arrest and on Friday, the Edenvale Community Police Forum (ECPF) in consultation with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), announced that the man will be charged with reckless and negligent driving and child endangerment.
The video clip was uploaded on Monday and by Tuesday it had received over 6 000 views.
By Friday, the dashboard-camera footage had been viewed more than 110 000 times.
Chairperson for the ECPF, Mrs Linda McKenzie, slammed the incident and behaviour of the rider.
“We as the ECPF speak out in the strongest terms possible against this type of abuse of our young children, the devastating consequences were not even considered when this man put that young girl on the back of his motorbike,” she said.
Spokesperson for the EMPD, Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago, said that as a result of the footage, officers could trace the owner of the bike to his residence in Kew.
As a parent, Twitter celebrity @Pigspotter, also known as Cliff, told the NEWS he was appalled and disgusted by the video clip.
“This man puts his own safety above that of the little girl. He is excessively speeding, not only endangering this little girl, but also other innocent motorists,” said Cliff.
After viewing the video clip, Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, also reacted on Twitter.
“He must really be arrested. Putting the child through this life-risking experience,” the minister tweeted.
Acting spokesperson for the Edenvale SAPS, Lieutenant Colonel Robbie Roberts, said he was shocked at the biker’s behaviour.
“We simply cannot condone this type of behaviour,” he said.
