Johannesburg - A woman
seeking advice on Twitter about buying a driver's licence got
more than she bargained for on Wednesday when her inquiry caught
the eye of police minister and prolific tweeter Fikile Mbalula.
"It's a criminal offence to buy a driver's licence (like a)
ngathi ligwinya," Mbalula tweeted back, using a local word for a
doughnut. "It will get you, the traffic department and the
driving school arrested."
Mbalula, nicknamed "Razzmatazz" from his time as sports and
recreation minister, has more than 750 000 Twitter followers and
sees his personal feed as a useful tool in the fight against
South Africa's high crime rates.
While South Africa's traffic laws and regulations are tight by
African standards, reports of driving instructors asking
for bribes or people driving without a valid licence are common.
It's a criminal offense to buy a Driver's Licence ngathi ligwinya. It will get you, the traffic department and the driving school arrested https://t.co/uCU5fazc6r
— RSA Min of Police (@MbalulaFikile) May 10, 2017