BMW driver arrested for driving at 229km/h

Speedster tells cops he was rushing to a meeting

A 33-year-old driver is behind bars after he was caught speeding at the weekend.

The motorist was clocked driving a BMW at 229km per hour by the Gauteng Traffic Police High Speed Unit.

He was driving past Bronkhorstspruit on the N4 towards Witbank at about midday on Friday‚ the department of community & safety said in a statement at the weekend.

“He ... told officers he was rushing to a meeting.

“The motorist was arrested on the spot and taken to Bronkhorstspruit police station where he was formally charged with reckless and negligent driving as well as an alternative charge of exceeding the general speed limit.”

The motorist is to appear in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court today.

“I am disappointed at the motorist’s driving behaviour and conduct. Reckless and negligent driving is one of the many causes of fatal crashes. I call upon the law enforcement agencies to deal decisively with motorists who continue to disobey the rules of our roads‚” community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane said.

There has been a spate of road accidents around the country over the weekend.

Seven people were killed and 11 others were injured in a collision on the R74 outside Bergville in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday night. ER24 said that at about 7.45pm‚ emergency services arrived on the scene of the crash and found a light motor vehicle‚ a truck and a taxi were involved in the collision.

In Roodepoort, Gauteng, a woman motorist crashed down an embankment along Christiaan de Wet roadway. She had to be hoisted up with ropes after the crash‚ at about 8pm on Saturday night. She was found with moderate injuries inside her vehicle, said ER24.

At about 1.30pm on Saturday afternoon‚ a child‚ believed to be two years old‚ sustained serious injuries during a collision in Diepsloot, Gauteng. A helicopter was called out to airlift the little girl to treatment. “It is understood that she was involved in a collision while travelling with a family member‚” said Vermaak. “She was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. She sustained several fractures and various other injuries.”