‘Respect traffic officers’ after scuffle

Following a scuffle between a driver and a traffic officer last week, the Mogalakwena municipality has issued a stern warning against the harassment of traffic police.

“We need to be responsible citizens and condemn illegal driver behaviour in the strongest possible terms.

“We are obliged to have our driver’s licences with us when on the road, our vehicles must be roadworthy and our licences must be up to date.

“We advise the community to respect law enforcement officers and cooperate with them.”

This comes in response to a video circulated on social media last week involving a traffic officer from Mokopane.

Lappies Labuschagne, who has 27 years’ working experience in the department, pulled over the driver of a bakkie last Wednesday in Pretorius Street.

As the driver could not produce a driver’s licence, the vehicle was not roadworthy and the licence disc had expired in October 2023, the vehicle was impounded and taken to the Mogalakwena municipality’s traffic and fire station for storage.

It was later confirmed that the driver did not have a driver’s licence and was not the owner of the vehicle.

“An hour later, the driver went to the fire station and allegedly lied to the security officer, saying he was given permission by the traffic chief to collect the vehicle.

“Then our officer found the driver allegedly trying to hotwire the vehicle. He requested the driver to step out of the vehicle and to leave the municipal premises but the driver refused.

“Our officer tried to remove him from the vehicle but he resisted, and in a tussle our officer lost his balance and fell.”

The municipality said that the driver’s hand movements around the moon bag he was carrying caused the traffic officer to draw his firearm for protection, even though it was not pointed at the driver.

“The driver allegedly started taking photos and videos of our officer swearing at him and he lost his balance.”

The municipality said it would be opening a case of driving without a valid driver’s licence, driving an unroadworthy vehicle, trespassing, attempting to steal a motor vehicle under false pretence, and a case of interference and intimidation will be opened against the driver’s brother.

“Before recording the video, the driver was allegedly swearing and yelling at our officer for the best part of five minutes. We regularly lose the lives of officers who enforce the law on our roads. We cannot allow officials to be disrespected,” the statement said.