Every time there is a long weekend or a public holiday somewhere in the mix, South Africa’s roads become increasingly dangerous.
In such circumstances, we rely on SAPS, as well as metro police, to keep us safe, although that didn’t seem to be on the mind of this Johannesburg metro police officer.
It’s alleged that the officer was drunk, and almost crashed into a biker in Benoni, before onlookers started filming.
South African anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee shared two videos on Twitter yesterday.
Here’s the first video:
Dear @City_Ekurhuleni & @mzwandileMasina – WATCH this video of a metro cop allegedly under the influence of alcohol. He nearly crashed into a biker in Benoni and threatened to shoot the man while he was recording him. @GP_CommSafety @MbalulaFikile @David_Makhura Video as red pic.twitter.com/GTsZd85WK6
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) September 24, 2019
That man does not look sober, and Jacaranda FM also reports that he is alleged to have threatened to shoot one of the people filming.
Let’s see the second video:
And here is a second video as received… @City_Ekurhuleni Cc @mzwandileMasina @GP_CommSafety @MbalulaFikile @David_Makhura pic.twitter.com/FJU3DJuuvc
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) September 24, 2019
One of those tagged in the tweet above, Mzwandile Masina, Executive Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni and ANC Ekurhuleni Regional Chairperson, stated that authorities are looking into the matter.
This morning, according to a follow-up Jacaranda FM piece, further steps had been taken:
Ekurhuleni Acting Mayor, Lesiba Mpya, says the city is astonished and regrets the behaviour of the official in the video.
“We are assuring the public that the officer will be undergoing disciplinary processes. We have to consider labour relations issues so that we get to the bottom of this and usefully put corrective measures into place,” says Lesiba Mpya.
Mpya says he has instructed the region’s Chief of Police to summon the implicated cop.
Yeah, probably best to get to the bottom of this one as soon as possible.
It is worrying that police on the scene seemed hesitant to test the man’s blood-alcohol level, and it may be tough to prove whether or not he was under the influence if the appropriate steps weren’t taken at the time.
[sources:jacarandafm&jacarandafm]
