Durban
- Metro police are investigating a driver’s complaint about her treatment at the hands of metro officers last week.
She said the officers unlawfully impounded her vehicle and left her stranded in central Durban to walk home with her sick 6-year-old son last Monday.
Nokuthula Mazibuko detailed her ordeal in a letter to metro police, in which she described her alleged harassment at the hands of officers.
Metro police spokesman Eugene Msomi said they had apologised to Mazibuko and an investigation was under way.
Mazibuko said she was travelling in Joseph Nduli (Russell) Street and turning into Dr Pixley kaSeme (West) Street at about 5.20pm.
“I had partially turned into West Street while the traffic light was on caution, but there were pedestrians crossing. The traffic light turned red while I was waiting. Once the road was clear, I continued to drive into West Street,” she said.
A white bakkie “which had no sign of metro police” followed her. “I continued driving. He eventually turned a blue light on, which signalled to me that it was a metro police officer.”
Mazibuko said she stopped and two officers came and asked why she had disobeyed the traffic light.
“I produced my driver’s licence. He told me that he would charge me for disobeying the traffic light. I didn’t argue, I sat inside my vehicle and waited for a ticket,” she said.
Mazibuko said the officers went back to their vehicle. She waited for about 10 minutes.
“As I had a sick 6-year-old child, I got up and went to ask the officers what we were waiting for.
“I told them I was rushing home to attend to the child. The other officer said, ‘Inkinga yakho uhluleka ukuzehlisa ngabe uxolisile kukhulunywe kuboniswane (your problem is failing to humble yourself. You should apologise so we can negotiate).’” Mazibuko said three more metro police cars arrived. One of the officers said that because her licence disc had expired, they had to impound her vehicle.
“I asked them on what grounds was the vehicle being impounded because according to the notification of renewal I have a 21-days’ grace period.”
She said the officer instructed her and the child to get out of the vehicle.
“They (the metro police members present at the scene) all agreed that I had to get out of the car as they were towing the vehicle.”
Mazibuko said no documentation was completed, to give details or confirmation about the towing of her vehicle.
“I then took my child and walked home (a walk of about 15 minutes through the city centre). I had to lift my son, walk with a laptop and work stuff and it was very late. They never offered us a lift home,” she said.
That night she went to metro police headquarters and the senior officers would not release her car.
Mazibuko said when she went back the next day a senior manager said her car should not have been impounded.
“He said a fine should have been issued, but towing the vehicle was incorrect.
“I felt (I had suffered) harassment, been victimised and my constitutional rights were violated, never mind the trauma suffered by my child.”
She said she was considering legal action.
Metro police spokesman Eugene Msomi said the investigation “should be concluded soon”.
“Frankly, it is embarrassing; people with that kind of attitude have no business to be in the police department. If found to be true, the severest disciplinary action will be applied,” he said.
The Mercury