An unlicensed driver with a hopelessly overloaded vehicle felt the heat this morning when he crossed paths with a vigilant team of female Metro Police officers dishing out soup for Women’s Month.
Metro Police Chief Yolande Faro, who led the team of ten (10) women, reckons the detriment of the driver – stuffing 28 school children in a bakkie – is a testimony of the versatility of female officers.
“We not only used our own money and prepared the soup that provided sustenance to residents at the Zwide Clinic and school children on their way to school, we also enforced the law at a whim.
“We started the day off with a soup kitchen at the Zwide Clinic for the residents waiting in line at the facility and decided to dish out the excess soup to school children along Uitenhage Road.
“Even though engrossed in our charitable duty, we still noticed a white Isuzu bakkie with school children crammed in the back and the front of the vehicle. It was enroute to numerous schools in the Northern Areas. In total we counted 24 children at the back and another four in front.
“Some of the officers proceeded to the West End Clinic to continue with our Women’s Month activity while we stayed behind to deal with the overloaded vehicle.
“It is especially shocking that the man was entrusted with so many young lives while he has no professional driver’s permit (PrDP) or at least a driver’s license for that matter. On top of that, the license of the bakkie expired in 2016 and the vehicle is in a decrepit state.
“He was taken to the Bethelsdorp Police Station while we made alternative arrangements for the children to be transported safely to their respective schools.
“I am proud of our female officers as it shows their niftiness. They took the exquisite preparation and implementation of a soup kitchen to getting an unlicensed driver in die sop gracefully in their stride,” Chief Faro quipped.
The driver was pulled over shortly before 8am and charged with overloading (main charge), not having a valid driver’s license, inconsiderate driving, an unlicensed vehicle, an unroadworthy vehicle and the use of the bakkie was immediately discontinued.
A defective parking brake, defective lights, a cracked windscreen and four smooth tyres are just some of the faults on the vehicle. A full roadworthy test was requested.
A literal translation of the Afrikaans term “in die sop” is in the soup.
NMB Communications
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