A vigilant member of the public who took photographs of mayor Zukiswa Ncitha’s luxury vehicle parked in a bay reserved for wheelchair users was accused of being on the Daily Dispatch’s payroll by her driver.
A fuming Hein Johnson said he arrived at the arrivals wing of East London airport at 12.45pm yesterday and saw the black Mercedes-Benz illegally parked in the bay clearly marked in yellow paint.
“I took three photographs of it with my phone and the driver must have seen me because he came out of the building and asked me why I was taking photos of the car,” said Johnson.
“I asked him who he was and he said he was the driver of the executive mayor of East London.”
Johnson said he pointed out to the driver that he was parked in a disabled parking bay.
“He told me he was just waiting for the mayor quickly, but I said I would send the photos to the Daily Dispatch if he didn’t move it.
“He then asked me how much the Dispatch was paying me for the photos. He thinks this is Hollywood and people stand around waiting to take photos of celebrities.”
Johnson said he and the driver had then entered the airport and that after the driver spoke to a group of officials he finally moved the vehicle.
“When I saw the mayor I brought her up to date with what her driver was doing and told her that because he had become involved in an altercation with me and accused me of getting money from the Dispatch, I was going send the photos to the paper. She asked me to please not send them.”
Ncitha said although she could not respond on behalf of her driver, she wanted to “apologise profusely” for the incident.
“I went to the airport to collect a guest and my driver dropped me at the entrance and then parked. He said there was no-one waiting for the disabled parking.
“Maybe he did it because it was for a very short time. I am a law-abiding citizen and this won’t happen again.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
BCM mayor’s car parked in bay for disabled
A fuming Hein Johnson said he arrived at the arrivals wing of East London airport at 12.45pm yesterday and saw the black Mercedes-Benz illegally parked in the bay clearly marked in yellow paint.
“I took three photographs of it with my phone and the driver must have seen me because he came out of the building and asked me why I was taking photos of the car,” said Johnson.
“I asked him who he was and he said he was the driver of the executive mayor of East London.”
Johnson said he pointed out to the driver that he was parked in a disabled parking bay.
“He told me he was just waiting for the mayor quickly, but I said I would send the photos to the Daily Dispatch if he didn’t move it.
“He then asked me how much the Dispatch was paying me for the photos. He thinks this is Hollywood and people stand around waiting to take photos of celebrities.”
Johnson said he and the driver had then entered the airport and that after the driver spoke to a group of officials he finally moved the vehicle.
“When I saw the mayor I brought her up to date with what her driver was doing and told her that because he had become involved in an altercation with me and accused me of getting money from the Dispatch, I was going send the photos to the paper. She asked me to please not send them.”
Ncitha said although she could not respond on behalf of her driver, she wanted to “apologise profusely” for the incident.
“I went to the airport to collect a guest and my driver dropped me at the entrance and then parked. He said there was no-one waiting for the disabled parking.
“Maybe he did it because it was for a very short time. I am a law-abiding citizen and this won’t happen again.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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