An Eastern Cape provincial traffic officer is being investigated after he allegedly assaulted and bullied a woman motorist during an argument on the side of the R72 near the Cove Rock turnoff on Sunday.
Well-known Cove Rock Cafe owner Michelle Murray, 57, said she suffered a swollen arm and emotional trauma after the officer grabbed her by her arm and told her she was going “nowhere”.
“I felt terrorised,” she said.
She said the officer, whose name is known to the Dispatch, had allegedly confined Murray for two hours inside her car – from 9.45am to noon – as she tried to find someone to bring her licence which she accidentally left at home.
Murray said she explained to the officer there was no one home to bring her licence and that the house keys were with her in the car.
She said despite pleading with the officer to release her so she could fetch it he kept shouting: “I’m gonna write you nicely mama!”
The alleged physical scuffle took place after Murray stepped out of the car and told the officer to release her to fetch the licence or fine her.
“ I cried so much that day even the following day. My arm hurt and I was so hurt emotionally.”
Murray said the officer gave her a R1500 fine before releasing her.
Murray said that at one stage while she sat in her car, the officer started having a social conversation with his colleagues while tapping back a soft drink.
“The officer then stopped a man who didn’t have a licence but released him to fetch the licence without any fuss.”
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed that Murray opened a case of assault at Fleet Street police station on Sunday.
Mqala said: “The investigating officer is still continuing with the investigation and no one at this present moment has been arrested.”
Provincial transport spokeswoman Khuselwa Rantjie said the department was only made aware about the incident after the Daily Dispatch inquiry. Rantjie said when motorists are not in possession of a driver’s licence, officers are supposed to request an identity card or ID book.
“A driver can take the ticket to a traffic centre with their driver’s licence and produce it at the centre in order to prove that they have the licence but were not carrying it at the time.”
Rantjie said this would allow the officers to change the harsher fine of driving illegally to a lesser charge of driving without a licence. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
EC traffic cop faces assault charges
Well-known Cove Rock Cafe owner Michelle Murray, 57, said she suffered a swollen arm and emotional trauma after the officer grabbed her by her arm and told her she was going “nowhere”.
“I felt terrorised,” she said.
She said the officer, whose name is known to the Dispatch, had allegedly confined Murray for two hours inside her car – from 9.45am to noon – as she tried to find someone to bring her licence which she accidentally left at home.
Murray said she explained to the officer there was no one home to bring her licence and that the house keys were with her in the car.
She said despite pleading with the officer to release her so she could fetch it he kept shouting: “I’m gonna write you nicely mama!”
The alleged physical scuffle took place after Murray stepped out of the car and told the officer to release her to fetch the licence or fine her.
“ I cried so much that day even the following day. My arm hurt and I was so hurt emotionally.”
Murray said the officer gave her a R1500 fine before releasing her.
Murray said that at one stage while she sat in her car, the officer started having a social conversation with his colleagues while tapping back a soft drink.
“The officer then stopped a man who didn’t have a licence but released him to fetch the licence without any fuss.”
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed that Murray opened a case of assault at Fleet Street police station on Sunday.
Mqala said: “The investigating officer is still continuing with the investigation and no one at this present moment has been arrested.”
Provincial transport spokeswoman Khuselwa Rantjie said the department was only made aware about the incident after the Daily Dispatch inquiry. Rantjie said when motorists are not in possession of a driver’s licence, officers are supposed to request an identity card or ID book.
“A driver can take the ticket to a traffic centre with their driver’s licence and produce it at the centre in order to prove that they have the licence but were not carrying it at the time.”
Rantjie said this would allow the officers to change the harsher fine of driving illegally to a lesser charge of driving without a licence. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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