Durban – The taxi driver caught on video deliberately bumping a traffic warden in Durban on Monday has been brought up on five charges, Durban Metro Police have confirmed.
The driver, who cannot be named yet, is charged with attempted murder, reckless and negligent driving, threatening a member of the Durban Metro Police, assault, disregarding lawful instruction and defeating the ends of justice.
Durban Metro Police spokesperson Geraldine Stevens said the case was opened at Hillcrest SAPS.
Stevens said the officer in the video was a traffic warden and not a police officer. She said the officer would undergo police training soon.
“We found that specific officer, who is a traffic warden and not a cop. He was the one who showed us the driver and was able to identify him,” Stevens said.
Stevens said the officer could have placed the driver under arrest and didn’t know why he did not do so.
She said the officer would be offered counselling.
The taxi driver was located and arrested on Monday afternoon after the incident outside Christians Village shopping complex in Hillcrest.
In the video circulating social media, the driver can be seen pushing the traffic officer with the front of his taxi. The officer is standing on the passenger side writing a ticket and keeps getting shoved by the taxi driver.
Eventually, the officer moves aside and the taxi drives off.
IOL spoke to Santaco in KZN and asked whether it would be taking any action against the driver.
Santaco KZN’s Sifiso Shangase said it would not as the five charges the driver was facing were enough.
He said this was the first time such an event had taken place since the organisation’s inception in 2001.
“He can’t have a double punishment especially now that the matter is in the hands of the law. We are going to leave it to the law enforcement agency to deal with the matter.
“It does give us a bad name in the public eye in the sense that we are not treating our customers with care, but it has happened after so many years that we have been in operation,” Shangagse said.
After watching the video, Shangase said the driver displayed a complete disregard for the law.
IOL