Durban – A routine drive home turned into “a day we all wish never happened” for a Durban musician of Indian descent, who endured racial taunts and abusive language from another motorist during peak-hour traffic.
A white female, driving a red VW Polo, allegedly shouted c***** repeatedly and hurled other abusive language at the 44-year-old man, who videoed the incident on his mobile phone.
The recording of the March 9 road-rage incident has since gone viral, and the woman in the video has allegedly posted an apology on Facebook, in response.
Earlier this week, the man, who is represented by attorney Siven Samuel, and asked that the Sunday Tribune not reveal his identity in the interim, filed criminal charges against the woman.
This was confirmed by Captain Nqobile Gwala, the SAPS provincial spokesperson.
“A case of crimen injuria is being investigated by Berea Saps after a derogatory word was used by the suspect,” Gwala said.
The woman cannot be named at this point as she has yet to appear in court in connection with the charge brought against her.
“I was extremely offended and hurt by what she said. The incident was a bitter pill to swallow, and it cannot be undone now,” said the musician.
He said he had been driving on Peter Mokaba (Ridge) Road, that the traffic was heavy, and that the red VW Polo was in front of him.
The woman, who drove the Polo, was “busy on her mobile phone” and “straddled lanes”. Therefore, he chose to keep a safe distance, said the musician.
As the road widened, the man said he chose to keep in the left lane because he knew that vehicles turning right onto Kenilworth Road often held up traffic.
The Polo driver kept right, was still on her phone and almost “side-swiped” him, and he responded by immediately hooting to get the woman’s attention, the man claimed.
“That caused her to become aggressive. I could see from her facial expression and hand signals. I couldn’t make out what she was saying because my window was wound-up.”
The man said their cars were side-by-side when they were stopped at the traffic lights on Tollgate Bridge. He dropped his window to ask the woman about her display of aggression and to tell her that she nearly “took him out” and was driving “negligently”.
When the woman noticed the man was capturing her comments on camera, she goaded him.
She said: “Is that on video ah lovely, you can put it on Facebook”.
The woman then asked him: “What is your f****** problem”.
The man responded: “Because you were on the phone and you didn’t know what”, the woman said: “Oh f*** off you little c***** bastard”.
Each time the woman used the c-word thereafter, the man said “thank you”.
In the woman’s apparent Facebook response, said she wanted to apologise for “inexcusable behaviour” and claimed that the man tried to “run her off the road”.
That had caused her to “panic”, placed her in an “emotional state” and left her “terrified and upset”.
She said: “He confronted me and I behaved terribly badly. I just want to apologise again because in my attempt to vent my anger at him, I used words that I don’t normally use.
“I feel ashamed and really sorry, and I am also relieved to be alive.”
The man said the woman had not approached him with an apology, “she probably doesn’t know who I am. Once we are complete with criminal charges, I will consider a civil action.”
He kept a low profile, and he did not tell his family about the incident, only a few friends knew about it. One of his friends posted his video.
“I don’t want my name out at this stage because I fear the safety of my wife and six-year-old child, who are precious to me.”
On whether he wished he had taken another route the day, he said: “Destiny cannot be controlled”.