Johannesburg - Police are yet to act on an accident involving the head of the Presidential Protection Unit - despite being in possession of closed circuit television (CCTV) footage that captured the crash.
On July 16, a BMW 3 Series blue-light vehicle registered to one of President Jacob Zuma’s closest bodyguards, Major-General Mxolisi Dladla, skipped a red traffic light before it collided with a white Toyota Corolla.
The black BMW was the lead vehicle in a blue-light convoy travelling through Braamfontein, central Joburg.
On Wednesday, The Star was shown CCTV footage showing events leading up to the BMW colliding with a Toyota Corolla.
The footage has also been handed to the police. In it, the BMW is clearly seen whizzing past stationary vehicles as it speeds through the intersection on Bertha and De Korte streets - despite the traffic lights it was facing being red.
The Corolla then crashes on the left rear-hand side of the BMW. On impact, the BMW spins backwards and faces the direction from which it came from, with its blue lights still flashing.
The Corolla, which belongs to the Department of Labour, stops adjacent to the BMW.
About 10 seconds later, a convoy of about seven BMWs speed past the accident scene, just as the traffic lights turn green.
An occupant of the BMW, in a black suit, then steps out of the vehicle. He and three other occupants approach the Corolla.
A man steps out of the Corolla’s passenger seat.
A second man steps out of the Corolla, and a quarrel breaks out.
In the meantime, one of the occupants of the BMW starts to divert traffic from the crash scene.
The footage, lasting 3.59 minutes, then ends.
Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) Director Gerrie Gerneke said on Wednesday that the accident was being investigated by the SAPS as the JMPD “does not investigate police (SAPS) accidents”.
“In that particular case, it was the SAPS that cordoned off the scene and recorded the accident. JMPD only (helped) direct traffic,” Gerneke said, adding that the JMPD footage had been “released” to Hillbrow police station.
“The (JMPD footage) video was released to the Hillbrow police station. We haven’t had the privilege to look at the docket… I am not too sure if the case has been investigated or closed. I don’t know if the driver has been arrested or not,” he said.
Asked if it was procedural for the JMPD not to investigate the accident, Gerneke said: “The SAPS investigate themselves, but (as to) how far the investigations are, I don’t know.”
Last month, SAPS spokesman Lieutenant-General Solomon Makgale said the accident “is being treated like any other road accident” and that “the circumstances leading up to the collision are under investigation.”
“Further steps will be directed by the outcome of that investigation,” he said.
On Wednesday, Makgale said: “Investigations are not yet completed.”
Driving specialist Rob Handfield-Jones said public safety was paramount.
“Even when somebody is driving under lights or sirens, they are still required to consider the safety of other road users,” he said.
The Star