Ramaphosa car crash: Blue light use legal

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. File picture: Siphiwe Sibeko

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. File picture: Siphiwe Sibeko

Published Feb 14, 2016

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Cape Town - The blue lights of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cavalcade were switched on when one of the vehicles was involved in a crash in Blouberg – but while controversial, it was legal.

So-called blue light brigades, involving the transport of VIPs in vehicle convoys, are a contentious topic in the Western Cape.

In 2013, provincial legislation was passed to restrict the motorcades from using blue lights.

Ramaphosa’s cavalcade was using the lights on Friday when a VW Polo apparently skipped a red traffic light and smashed into the lead vehicle, injuring a police officer, on the corner of Blaauwberg Road and the R27. The deputy president was being driven from the Atlantic Beach Golf Estate, where President Jacob Zuma had been participating in the Presidential Golf Challenge. Ramaphosa was not in the vehicle which was involved in the crash, police said.

Read: Ramaphosa car in blue light crash

Following the incident, a case of reckless and negligent driving was registered and the Hawks were investigating. Several social media users asked whether Ramaphosa’s cavalcade had been using the lights and if they had ignored legislation.

Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed to Weekend Argus the vehicle’s blue lights had been switched on at the time of the crash.

“We have operations we have to do,” he said.

Mulaudzi said the injured police officer had been released from hospital with a wrist fracture.

“He’s doing fine, he’s back at home,” he said.

 

Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant said not just anyone was allowed to use blue lights – but presidents, deputy presidents and visiting heads of state were exceptions. He said if Ramaphosa had not been in the cavalcade when the lights had been on, this would have been a problem.

 

In November 2013, former Transport MEC Robin Carlisle published regulations about the use of the controversial lights.

The regulations said no one could operate or instruct others to operate a car with “an intermittently flashing blue light” or fitted siren to transport VIPs “unless there is an imminent identified threat regarding the safety or life of the office bearer or VIP, or there is a threat of damage to the property of the office bearer or VIP”.

Weekend Argus

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