EDITOR – I write this letter due to an unforeseen situation I encountered on October 3.
I was on my way home at about 7.30pm and was driving alone with my teenage daughter in the car.
I felt nervous and scared as I have heard about a lot of hijackings in the Edenvale area.
So I decided to be safe rather than sorry and used red traffic lights as a four-way stop, which I thought is generally accepted as a safety procedure for women at night.
I made sure there was no oncoming traffic and that it was safe to cross. When I reached the Greenstone area, I was followed by a police vehicle out of the blue, who signalled me to pull over – which I did.
Two police officers approached my vehicle with both with their hands on their firearms.
I felt extremely intimidated by their approach.
They asked me if I know why they had pulled me over, to which I responded that I had no idea.
They advised it is because I skipped a red traffic light.
I advised them that I did not skip red traffic lights, but treated them as four-way stops, as I felt scared due to the fact that I am driving alone with my teenage daughter at night.
The response I received was mind-blowing.
They started laughing at me and advised that, “You women think you are above the law. You women think you can do what you want just because you are a woman”.
I told him I did not at any point endanger anybody, but felt it was the right thing to do instead of being a waiting target at a traffic light.
They still continued, saying “You women have no right to disobey the law,” while laughing at me – still with their hands on their firearms.
I did not know how to react or what to do. So I called my husband who was on his way home.
He advised me to just stay calm and that he was on his way.
Straight after the call, the police officers changed their tone and attitude and advised me if they see me again they will lock me up.
They then advised me to drive off and go.
I was in such a state at that point and unfortunately did not get their registration number or official numbers, however I feel this was completely inappropriate behaviour for an officer of the law.
What happened to protecting and serving the public?
Do we as woman have no right what-so-ever to try and protect our family?
And what gives officers of the law the right to intimidate and scare members of the public like this?
I am disappointed in the treatment I received from the SAPS who are supposed to serve and protect, not intimidate and belittle!
CONCERNED RESIDENT,
EDENVALE.
- Letter received on October 4.
EDITOR’S COMMENT – Acting spokesperson for the Edenvale SAPS, Lieutenant Colonel Robbie Roberts, commented as follows:
The complainant in this matter admitted to the officers that she used a red traffic light as a stop street.
To not stop at a red traffic light, or to use a red traffic light as a stop street, is a finable offence according to the National Road Traffic Act.
All police officers are trained to approach vehicles by placing their hands on their firearms. This is for safety reasons.
When officers pull over a vehicle at any time they never know what to expect. At night it is especially difficult to see who the occupants of a vehicle are.
By not stopping at a red traffic light, or skipping a stop street, a motorist is automatically flagged as suspicious and will be told to pull over.
The way that the complainant was spoken to is unacceptable and the officers responsible will be dealt with accordingly.
