Life for husband in Durban taxi killing

victims of it, according to a recent poll, which found Britain was the world’s worst country for road rage incidents.

While it was once the “white van man” who was the most common offender, more women are now angrily taking to the roads. In fact, a study by car manufacturer Hyundai suggested road rage affected women more, due to an instinctive “early warning system”.

Emma Tapping, 36, a mother of three in the Isle of Man, said: “I don’t have time for bad drivers,” she said. “I’m always flashing my lights, beeping my horn and swearing.

“Once I turned off my engine and got out to confront a driver who was honking me to get moving. I had my three children in the car and screamed at him, then drove at 20 miles an hour knowing he was behind me.”

Dr Lisa Dorn, associate professor of driver behaviour and director of the Driving Research Group at Cranfield University, believes female road rage isn’t necessarily about being angry.

She attributes it to the fact that the car is often the only space where women feel they can act in this way.

But how can you counter road rage? “Understand your emotional and physical health and know the triggers before you get in the car,” said Dr Richard Sherry, a clinical psychologist in London.

“If you recognise these elements, try to combat them – leave earlier, listen to relaxing music and count to 10 when another driver infuriates you.

“It’s important to remember your behaviour has consequences. It could land you in jail.” – Daily Mail

‘I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR BAD DRIVERS. I’M ALWAYS BEEPING MY HORN AND SWEARING.’

A KWADUKUZA man, who stabbed his wife to death in a taxi on their wedding anniversary, broke down in tears as Durban High Court Judge Gregory Kruger sentenced him to life.

Sivakumar Sugen Naicker was convicted of killing Lorraine Munsamy.

Although Naicker had pleaded guilty to murder and assault, the State did not accept his plea as it believed the murder was premeditated.

In handing down the sentence, Kruger said Naicker had only pleaded guilty with the hope of persuading the court to impose a lesser sentence.

“You had the opportunity to tell this court the whole truth and to apologise for what you did, but you chose to keep silent by not testifying about what truly happened on that day,” said Kruger.

He said people like Naicker deserved to go to jail for a long, long time.

This week, a KwaDukuza taxi driver, Rakesh Nooikhai, who witnessed the assault and the murder, told the court how Naicker stabbed Munsamy to death in his taxi, before trying to take his own life.

Nooikhai, who said he regularly transported Munsamy to work, said Naicker repeatedly stabbed his wife with an Okapi knife, while professing his love for her on January 14 last year.

Munsamy boarded Nooikhai’s taxi that morning on her way to work as usual, and Naicker boarded later. After all the passengers disembarked, Naicker asked Munsamy if he could sit next to her, but she refused.

Nooikai said Naicker sat in the seat behind his wife and as he continued driving he heard Naicker professing his love for her, saying: “You know I love you, you know I love you.”

When he looked in the rearview mirror, he saw Naicker had her by the neck and was using his right hand to stab her.

Nooikhai’s taxi conductor, Shalendren Naidoo, had testified to hearing Naicker wishing his wife a happy anniversary and also witnessed Naicker stabbing Munsamy while telling her he loved her.

Testifying in aggravation of sentence, Munsamy’s father, Munsamy Majid, told the court about the couple’s abusive relationship. He told the court about a letter he had found in Munsamy’s handbag after she was killed.

The letter, submitted as evidence, read: “If anything has to happen to me, the person responsible for it is my husband Sugen.”

Majid said his daughter probably wrote and kept it in case something did happen to her.He was now taking care of his grandchildren.

Naicker’s Legal Aid attorney, Thiagaraj Pillay, had disagreed with the State’s version that the murder was premeditated. He said Naicker had acted in a moment of anger. He made an application for leave to appeal the sentence, saying Naicker was a first offender and he had pleaded guilty.

Kruger refused the application on the basis that no other court would arrive at a different conclusion.

Naicker placed his hands on his face and sobbed.