The accident in which West Rand teenager Thomas Ferreira was severely injured was an accident like any other, Gauteng local government and housing MEC Humphrey Mmemezi said on Wednesday.
“Let's just remember that about 14 000 people die annually on South Africa's roads,” he said, according to Beeld newspaper.
“People should not be ridiculous and politicise this accident, just because a blue-light vehicle was involved. This was an accident just like any other.
“If you take the annual road death toll into account, blue-light vehicles are not responsible for even one percent of these incidents. We should just be thankful that Ferreira is improving,” he said.
Mmemezi was in the official car that knocked Ferreira off his motorcycle on November 5.
Witnesses allege that the car jumped a red light, and that Mmemezi was immediately whisked from the scene by two bodyguards.
Ferreira was in a coma for weeks and is still recovering at the Riverfield Lodge Rehabilitation Centre in Fourways, Joburg.
“All good people in South Africa are overjoyed that Thomas is making such a miraculous recovery. I'm glad he's getting better,” Mmemezi told Beeld. – Sapa