Former South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni's son was threatened with deportation after a police officer suspected he was a foreigner.
Former South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni's son was threatened with deportation after a police officer suspected he was a foreigner, the Star reported on Monday.
Tumelo Mboweni was pulled out of a minibus taxi on his way to have breakfast with a friend in Sandton City, Johannesburg, on Saturday morning.
According to the newspaper, a police officer pulled the taxi over at a roadblock and asked the driver for his driver's licence.
"He then opened the passenger's door and looked into the taxi as though he was doing a head-count. Then he saw me and said: 'You! Come out'," Tumelo was quoted as saying.
The officer reportedly did a thorough body search of the 24-year-old and asked for his passport. He did not have it.
"You're a foreigner here, and as you don't have a passport, we're going to deport you. You're under arrest," the officer was quoted as saying.
'Xenophobic police'
Tumelo reportedly called his friend and told him to go to his house and fetch his passport. When the friend arrived, he was accompanied by Tumelo's younger brother and his mother.
"I don't need to explain myself," the officer apparently told them. They were unable to get his name or badge number.
Infuriated by what happened to his son, Mboweni tweeted: "I am now gatvol with xenophobic police. I will … phone the minister of police to complain about what happened."
Attempts to get comment from the police were not successful. – Sapa