A female motorist who was allegedly trying to evade a traffic fine led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase from Pretoria to OR Tambo International Airport where she was due to catch a flight.

According to the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, a Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD) officer’s car keys were stolen while he was issuing a motorist with a fine for obstructing traffic on Monday.

Metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba says the officer is part of the VIP protection team assigned to Tshwane city manager Johan Mettler.

He explains that at 13:30 on Monday, the officer instructed a Mercedes-Benz driver, who he believed was obstructing traffic on Thabo Sehume Street in the CBD, to move out of the way.

“The officer activated a siren and signalled to the female motorist to move to avoid obstructing traffic, but she allegedly refused to obey his instruction. He stepped out of the vehicle, approached her, and showed her his appointment certificate.

“He informed her that he was going to issue her with a traffic fine. While he was writing the fine, she allegedly grabbed his official vehicle keys from the ignition, [got into her car and] drove off leaving the officer stranded,” says Bokaba.

He explains that the officer immediately called his supervisor to inform him of the incident.

The supervisor and freeway patrol located the suspect via the vehicle’s tracking system and chased after her on the R21 South.

“During the high-speed chase, she allegedly kept ignoring the police’s instruction to bring her rental car to a halt but ultimately, [she] did. Police politely asked her to hand the keys to the state vehicle over but she allegedly refused. Instead, she drove off again apparently in a rush to catch a flight. Police gave chase and eventually apprehended her at the OR Tambo International Airport,” says Bokaba.

The motorist was taken to the Pretoria Central Police Station where a case of common robbery and theft was opened against her. She was briefly detained.

The officer’s car keys were recovered from her.

“When she was released, she allegedly refused to sign a form to acknowledge receipt of property that had been removed from her when she was booked,” says Bokaba.

It was later discovered that she is a senior manager at a subsidiary of one of the water boards.

“The city manager was engaged in a meeting at the office when the incident happened, and the vehicle assigned to him wasn’t involved as its keys had been snatched by the suspect. His protector stayed behind in Pretoria to guard the state vehicle while the suspect was being pursued by his colleagues,” says Bokaba.