Physical distancing is still a key part of keeping COVID-19 infection rates down, so cramming into a small space with countless other people isn’t ideal.

I say countless, but in a recent incident in Harrismith, in the Free State, law enforcement did some counting and it boggles the mind.

During routine stop-and-go checks on public transport vehicles last week Friday, a Quantum minibus taxi was caught carrying an extraordinary number of passengers.

It’s a modern miracle that everyone was able to fit.

According to News24, the taxi, which has a capacity for 14 people, was carrying more than double its passenger load.

In a video posted on Facebook, law enforcement can be heard counting the passengers as they exit the taxi.

It’s quite something:

It’s like a magic trick, only there’s nothing magical or entertaining about it during a pandemic.

There’s also nothing magical about exploiting people who need to reach a destination (for many, that appears to be school), in a bleak economic climate.

Spokesperson of the Department of Police, Roads, and Transport, Hillary Mophethe, said this:

“The driver was arrested immediately and the vehicle was impounded. He will be facing two charges, defeating the ends of justice and overloading his vehicle”.

He’s set to appear in court this week.

[source:news24]