Flying bodyguard keeps on speeding
A GOVERNMENT driver who ignored more than 900 speeding warnings before crashing a car at 225km/h is still entrusted with VIP protection and chauffeuring ministers.
Constable Eric Hlatshwayo, former bodyguard of Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, was moved to another department after the accident in 2011, involving a rented MercedesBenz E-Class.
“We have recorded up to 900 alerts for this particular rental. Each time we called Constable Hlatshwayo, he would cut the calls,” said a letter from rental company Dollar Thrifty’s claims and recoveries manager, JJ Swanevelder. “This is looked upon as negligence.”
Swanevelder said the insurer had refused to pay for the R200 000 damage caused by the car’s impact with a buck at 11.20pm during a trip from Mahikeng to Johannesburg.
In a separate letter, the Road Traffic Management Corporation said it had been made aware of the “unacceptable, unsafe and/or illegal driving behaviour that was observed and reported to the national traffic call centre”. It said Hlatshwayo “exceeded the speed limit ... and displayed intimidating behaviour by forcing his way in front of other vehicles”.
Mbalula’s former chief of staff, Tsholofelo Lejaka, wrote to Hlatshwayo about “perturbing issues” raised by the rental company. “May you kindly give your response on this matter as there are currently dire consequences arising out of Dollar Thrifty’s stance that when the incident occurred, the vehicle speed on impact was 225km/h.”
On the damage report form, Hlatshwayo wrote: “When a buck crossed the road, I could not swerve as the was on traffic [sic] and I hit the buck.”
An official from the ministry who worked with Hlatshwayo said he was moved to another department after the accident. He was unsure which one.
Police spokesman Vishnu Naidoo did not respond to questions.
Lejaka, now a chief director in the department, also did not comment on the accident or on whether Hlatshwayo had been asked to leave. He would not say who paid the repair bill.
Hlatshwayo did not respond to calls, messages and e-mails.
Recently, State Security Minister David Mahlobo’s bluelight convoy was involved in an accident. Also this year, a vehicle in Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s convoy was involved in a crash in Cape Town. Police said it was hit by a bakkie that jumped a red robot.
Last week marked a year since former minister Collins Chabane died in a crash with his two bodyguards, sergeants Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane.