Johannesburg - The two women arrested by the Joburg metro police for speaking out against the arrest of a bus driver plan to take action against the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) after the case against them was thrown out of court.
Michele Selling and her daughter Terché Jardine were on a Metrobus from Fleurhof to their respective workplaces in Parktown and Auckland Park on Wednesday morning when their bus was stopped.
Cellphone footage shows officers struggling to arrest the driver while passengers challenge officers over what they described as “police brutality”.
About 15 minutes later, metro officers arrested Selling and Jardine for “interfering” with police duties.
Speaking outside the Sophiatown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, an “absolutely delighted” Selling
said “the prosecutor thought it was a whole lot of nonsense, it was thrown out. We went in there very confident. I knew it, this is not a case”.
Selling and Jardine are now taking advice from a lawyer but confirmed they planned to take legal action against the JMPD.
Sophiatown police spokesman Warrant Officer Jerbes de Bruyn said he would only be in a position to confirm whether the case was thrown out when the docket returned to the station on Friday.
JMPD spokesman Wayne Minnaar said another female passenger was also arrested for interfering with an officer’s duties, but it is unclear what happened in her case.
He said the driver was pulled over by officers who wanted to fine him for using a dedicated Rea Vaya bus lane, which he said was clearly demarcated by traffic signs.
“They then arrested him because he was failing to co-operate by not wanting to give his name and address,” Minnaar said.
He declined to comment on Selling and Jardine’s plans to take legal action.
The Star