Much talk, scant details of Clive Naidoo’s suburb

THE suburb of Bloubosrand, which still trended on social media yesterday, has little or no information about it on the internet.

On Wikipedia it is simply listed as: “A suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located in Region A.”

There is nothing else about it on the internet, including its history and when it was founded. The only information is the 2011 Census figures, a few references to businesses and properties for sale.

The suburb has become famous since a video of a Johannesburg metro police officer who stopped a motorist, Clive Naidoo, for allegedly going through a red traffic light, emerged on social media.

Naidoo filmed the entire incident. When asked for his address, Naidoo said it was Bloubosrand. The officer ridiculed him for living in the suburb, laughing in his face. At one point, she said there were “too many blacks and thieves” living there.

One Facebook comment was that Wikipedia should redefine its description of Bloubosrand as: “A suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, in which Clive Naidoo lives. It is not a good suburb, there is too much blacks and thieves (sic).”

Most people on social media said they had never heard of Bloubosrand.

Although many had seen humour in the video, which went viral, and took sides, ward councillor Matome Mafokwane was furious and said he was going to demand disciplinary action by the City of Joburg’s management committee member for safety, Sello Lemao.

Wrong

“It is wrong in every way. This officer was acting in her official capacity and has no right to express her personal view and pronounce on whether Bloubosrand is a safe area or not,” he said.

He asked what she, as an officer of the law, was doing to reduce crime in Bloubosrand if it was not safe.

“Officers have to abide by a code of conduct when in uniform and should engage with and explain to motorists what their transgressions are, and issue fines … It is not about the officer wanting to become a celebrity and whether she likes being videoed or not. I am going to be demanding a disciplinary hearing.”