Uitenhage driver arrested in supermarket after police chase
A UITENHAGE taxi driver transporting 58 primary schoolchildren in a 14-seater minibus was arrested shortly after attempting to speed away from police yesterday afternoon.
The 58-year-old driver, who police are not naming until he appears in court‚ was spotted by a patrolling police vehicle in Gibbon Street, Uitenhage, shortly after picking up the children, aged between seven and 12, from Dower Practising Primary School.
Police spokesman Sergeant Majola Nkohli said when the police tried to pull the overloaded Toyota Quantum minibus over, the driver accelerated in a bid to escape.
“A chase ensued during which the driver purposely sped through two red traffic lights,” Nkohli said.
“The chase continued and as the driver neared the taxi rank in Durban Road he started to slow the vehicle down.
“The children started jumping out of the moving taxi as it was slowing down.
“Police had to brake, fearing that they might hit a child.”
Nkohli said the driver then jumped out of the taxi and fled into a nearby supermarket.
One of the police officials managed to calm the children while the other chased the driver and arrested him in the store at the taxi rank.
“The driver could also not produce a driver’s licence. Detectives will consult with the traffic department … to determine if the driver does in fact have a licence and a public driving permit to transport passengers,” Nkholi said.
The driver has been charged with failing to stop for the police, reckless and negligent driving, overloading, failing to produce a driver’s licence and resisting arrest.
He is due to appear in the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court today.
Police impounded the minibus until the owner can provide reasons why a driver, who was not in possession of a driver’s licence, had the vehicle.
“Should he fail to explain this … the owner could also be liable to face criminal charges,” Nkholi said.
This comes only a month after Patensie taxi driver, Hyron Bruintjies, 31, was fined R5 000, or six months in jail, when police caught him transporting 50 schoolchildren.
His overloaded taxi was spotted by a police detective.
-Gareth Wilson
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