Hours after being sworn in as a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Amos ”Toenka” Matila found himself behind bars, charged with drunken driving, the Star reported on Thursday.
Matila, who is the acting chairperson of the South African National Civic Organisation’s (Sanco) Gauteng branch, apparently drove into the back of a truck on Tuesday night.
He was on his way back to Pretoria after attending a Sanco provincial executive meeting.
The incident happened on the north-bound lane of the N1 highway near the John Vorster Drive off-ramp in Centurion.
A source at the scene said Matila’s Colt Rodeo was written off.
He said that after Matila allegedly failed a breathalyser test, he was arrested and taken to the Lyttelton police station.
Matila replaced — but only as an ordinary member -‒ the chairperson of the sport portfolio committee, Pule Malefane, who was recently appointed the chief executive of the Gauteng Tourism Authority.
Democratic Alliance member of the legislature Jack Bloom, who was present when Matila was sworn in, said: ”I am very disappointed that on the day he is sworn in, he is involved in an incident like this.”
Legislature spokesperson Jamez Manyapelo said the institution would reserve comment on the incident, and wait for the law to follow its course.
The legislature would conduct its own investigation and refer the matter to the privileges and ethics committee, if necessary.
Sanco Gauteng chairperson Richard Mdakane said he had spoken to Matila and was aware that he had been arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. – Sapa