Nutty Grandad
17th October 2008, 07:17
Police Case number: Pending
Complainant: Mr K.Dhanani
General complaint against the Grahamstown Traffic Police
Date of alleged crime: 14/10/2008
Charge: Verbal abuse and misconduct by a Police Officer
Traffic Ticket number: 50 81322614
A Female Friend of mine (Details Below) was stopped and fined by a male traffic officer for failing to produce a valid licence on demand; which was entirely justified.
However, the officer then attempted to issue another fine; for driving the motor vehicle (a black Vuka XT 125 Scooter) without wearing reflective markings. It was in good daylight (18:00 – 18:25 October 14th – Daylight ended at 18:45) and the vehicles lights were switched on as the law states. This attempted act was therefore entirely unlawful and I cannot imagine how a person can be expected to pay for a crime that does not exist. I suspect this was an attempt at extracting a bribe.
Following this however the officer went on to display characteristics entirely inappropriate, un-gentlemanly and disgusting in anybody, doubly so in an officer of the law; whose purpose is to protect and aid the citizens of this country.
The location was on a steep hill and the lady involved obviously was no longer able to use the vehicles engine to aid in control, and as is known it is not possible to park a scooter on a downhill slope due to the mechanism of its stand. The officer sat in the patrol vehicle and did not leave it for the duration of the exchange. The officer demanded that the lady contact the owner of the vehicle (Me), but would not help her safely and legally park the vehicle. She then contacted me on her cell phone, now in tears due to the indifference of the traffic officer and the weight of the vehicle – and I asked to speak to the officer. The traffic officer still would not get out of his vehicle because as he put it “it’s too cold” which I heard over the cell phones loudspeaker. So she struggled to move the bike down the hill to the patrol car and asked the officer to take the phone to speak to me. He said “what does he want?…. I don’t have to speak to him” and so on f! or a few minutes whilst she pleaded with him to take the phone.
Eventually he did so and I simply asked him if he could at least help the lady park the vehicle safely and legally. To this he replied “its not my duty to help people.“ I was infuriated by this statement and replied “it’s your duty as a man.” The officer then hung up the phone and told the lady that ‘he doesn’t have to speak to people that are rude’.
He then told the lady to park the bike, which she then did whilst the officer sat in the car away form the ‘cold’. He then told her to get into the car and when she asked why he said “because it’s too cold for me to issue this with the window open”. So she got in and was issued the fine. The officer then told the lady “you have to walk home now because I’m not driving you and you can’t use the scooter”. So she got out of the car and began to walk home - now in the dark at 7pm approximately 3km from home.
I feel that this kind of behaviour from a professional traffic officer is completely unjustified and unprofessional. Not to mention intimidating and impolite
PAPA has requested a reply from the head of the traffic department.
Complainant: Mr K.Dhanani
General complaint against the Grahamstown Traffic Police
Date of alleged crime: 14/10/2008
Charge: Verbal abuse and misconduct by a Police Officer
Traffic Ticket number: 50 81322614
A Female Friend of mine (Details Below) was stopped and fined by a male traffic officer for failing to produce a valid licence on demand; which was entirely justified.
However, the officer then attempted to issue another fine; for driving the motor vehicle (a black Vuka XT 125 Scooter) without wearing reflective markings. It was in good daylight (18:00 – 18:25 October 14th – Daylight ended at 18:45) and the vehicles lights were switched on as the law states. This attempted act was therefore entirely unlawful and I cannot imagine how a person can be expected to pay for a crime that does not exist. I suspect this was an attempt at extracting a bribe.
Following this however the officer went on to display characteristics entirely inappropriate, un-gentlemanly and disgusting in anybody, doubly so in an officer of the law; whose purpose is to protect and aid the citizens of this country.
The location was on a steep hill and the lady involved obviously was no longer able to use the vehicles engine to aid in control, and as is known it is not possible to park a scooter on a downhill slope due to the mechanism of its stand. The officer sat in the patrol vehicle and did not leave it for the duration of the exchange. The officer demanded that the lady contact the owner of the vehicle (Me), but would not help her safely and legally park the vehicle. She then contacted me on her cell phone, now in tears due to the indifference of the traffic officer and the weight of the vehicle – and I asked to speak to the officer. The traffic officer still would not get out of his vehicle because as he put it “it’s too cold” which I heard over the cell phones loudspeaker. So she struggled to move the bike down the hill to the patrol car and asked the officer to take the phone to speak to me. He said “what does he want?…. I don’t have to speak to him” and so on f! or a few minutes whilst she pleaded with him to take the phone.
Eventually he did so and I simply asked him if he could at least help the lady park the vehicle safely and legally. To this he replied “its not my duty to help people.“ I was infuriated by this statement and replied “it’s your duty as a man.” The officer then hung up the phone and told the lady that ‘he doesn’t have to speak to people that are rude’.
He then told the lady to park the bike, which she then did whilst the officer sat in the car away form the ‘cold’. He then told her to get into the car and when she asked why he said “because it’s too cold for me to issue this with the window open”. So she got in and was issued the fine. The officer then told the lady “you have to walk home now because I’m not driving you and you can’t use the scooter”. So she got out of the car and began to walk home - now in the dark at 7pm approximately 3km from home.
I feel that this kind of behaviour from a professional traffic officer is completely unjustified and unprofessional. Not to mention intimidating and impolite
PAPA has requested a reply from the head of the traffic department.