Race, corruption on camera

Clive Naidoo’s video post opens a can of worms…

SOCIAL media was abuzz last week with Gauteng resident Clive Naidoo posting a video on social media trying to “expose” a Johannesburg metro police department officer.

In the eight minute video, which is on Youtube, Facebook and various news websites, Naidoo is seen being given a ticket for allegedly going through a red traffic light. The two get into an argument, with Naidoo telling the officer that he pays her salary (through his taxes).

The officer, in turn, makes comments about Indians acting like whites and appears to make fun of Naidoo’s suburb, saying that’s where many blacks and thieves live.

The video has resulted in numerous memes poking fun at Naidoo, who later apologised to South Africans via his Twitter account. But he said he would still pursue his complaint against the police officer.

Naidoo de-activated the Twitter account a few hours later, apparently unable to cope with the trolling. “Ok, bye guys. I’m deactivating,” he posted. “I wanted you guys to see my side of the story. Honestly. I’m also deleting the video on my Fb page.”

While many have found the video, and incident, to be hilarious, others are concerned about the bigger picture – the apparent lack of respect for authority, the overstepping of boundaries, how easily people get angry, and how social media is increasingly being used to settle scores.

JOLENE MARRIAH explores this and also asks metro police and SAPS about the challenges they face.

An anger management expert offers tips for keeping calm on the road.

IN AN alleged attempt to evade paying her rent, a Verulam mother reported to her landlord that a robber had gained entry to her home, dragged out her 4-year-old daughter and repeatedly smashed her head with a brick until she died.

However, when the head of Reaction Unit SA, Prem Balram, arrived at the scene on Friday morning at around 10am, he found the woman, with her daughter beside her, frantically deleting messages from her phone. It was realised only later – after seven response vehicles, 13 reaction officers, two ambulances and four paramedics had responded – that it was in fact a hoax call.

“RUSA Operations Centre received a call from a Verulam businessman who was calling on behalf of a man living in Midrand, Johannesburg.

“The caller was seeking assistance from RUSA regarding a murder of a 4-year-old child that was reported by a hysterical mother in Sew Drive, Southridge, in Verulam.

“The female had called her landlord in Johannesburg and reported that an African male had gained entry to her home and dragged out her daughter and repeatedly smashed her head with a brick until she had died,” said Balram.

He said the woman took reaction officers to an area near the home and demonstrated how the suspect had used a brick and killed her child.

“Upon further questioning the female regarding the child’s body and lack of blood on the scene, the female became evasive.”

He said two children were found with the woman (her 4 year old and a 2-month-old baby).

Balram said that the woman could not provide an explanation as to why she had reported that her child was murdered, but that it was believed that she reported the murder to her landlord to avoid paying her rent.

“This, however, could not be confirmed.”

Balram condemned the incident, calling it a waste of valuable resources.

He did not report the matter to the SAPS.