Car impounded for double parking
Mr D. Sithole of Ermelo has reported a case of assault at the Ermelo Police Station after he was allegedly knocked to the ground by provincial traffic inspectors in Ermelo on Thursday, 24 October. According to Mr Sithole, his driver double-parked a mini bus outside a shopping complex in Thusi Village at about 9.40am that …
Mr D. Sithole of Ermelo has reported a case of assault at the Ermelo Police Station after he was allegedly knocked to the ground by provincial traffic inspectors in Ermelo on Thursday, 24 October.
According to Mr Sithole, his driver double-parked a mini bus outside a shopping complex in Thusi Village at about 9.40am that day.
Provincial traffic inspectors approached the vehicle, but did not issue a traffic fine. Instead, the driver alleges that one the inspectors, a female, got into the vehicle and drove it to the provincial traffic headquarters in De Clercq Street.
Mr Sithole was contacted by the driver and went to the depot to make enquiries. He alleges the traffic officer refused to explain why the vehicle had been impounded and why a fine was not issued.
“I was quite willing for a fine to have been issued as the driver had parked illegally. I could not understand why the vehicle had been driven away and impounded,” said Mr Sithole.
An argument then ensued between Mr Sithole and the traffic officer concerned and a group of traffic officers approached. A scuffle broke out, during which he was allegedly knocked to the ground by one of the officers.
This happened in front of the complainant’s four-year-old child who was traumatised by the incident.
“I suspect that they wanted me to pay a bribe to get my vehicle back. When they realised I wasn’t going to comply, they became angry,” said Mr Sithole.
He was allowed to drive his vehicle away, but has vowed to press through with the charges.
A request for official comment was forwarded to the spokesman for the Mpumalanga Provincial Traffic Department, Ms Zandile Mandlazi, on 30 October. When contacted by telephone on Monday, 11 November, Ms Mandlazi said the matter had been referred to the relevant authority and an official reply would be issued once an investigation was completed.
At the time of going to print on Tuesday, no reply had been received.