Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) chief whip Koos van der Merwe on Friday laid a complaint — under the Public Protector Act — against Transport Minister Jeff Radebe for disobeying traffic laws and causing danger to other road users as well as setting a bad example.
Van der Merwe said he was shocked to see a report that Radebe had presented a speech at a national road safety project in Pretoria where he urged motorists not to speed — and was later seen speeding at an alleged 150kph.
Van der Merwe said: “What a scandalous example set by the minister of transport, who warns others not to speed and then arrogantly and contemptuously ignores his own warning. To add insult to injury, Minister Radebe’s spokesperson, Collen Msibi, is quoted as saying that senior government officials may travel faster than the speed limit.”
Msibi was reported as saying that qualified members of the VIP unit were authorised by law to ignore rules. Beeld newspaper reported him as saying that article 176 of the Traffic Control Act said police officials — who drove ministers — “may disregard traffic signs in the execution of their duties”.
Van der Merwe said: “I am, however, advised that there is nothing in the law that grants ministers the right to disobey the laws of this land.
“To argue that ministers are transported in cars driven by others who contravene traffic rules, is of course no excuse, because the minister will certainly know when the driver is committing a crime and it is then his duty as a minister to intervene and stop the driver.
“I am therefore lodging a serious complaint against Minister Radebe; and I call on the Public Protector to investigate this matter in terms of, inter alia, section 182 of the Constitution. I call on the Public Protector to investigate these complaints and to take appropriate action immediately.
“I suggest that it be made abundantly clear to ministers that they are not above the law and if they are party to contraventions of the law, they are to be criminally prosecuted. We will also inform President Mbeki of our complaint against his minister,” said Van der Merwe. — I-Net Bridge