A businessman now identified as Molemela Setona. Image: Twitter / @AdvBarryRoux
One of the men who was arrested on 18 April on Kliprivier Road in Johannesburg, and who was caught on video insulting a female JMPD officer, has revealed more of the circumstances around the incident.
AfricaNews24-7 reports that the “businessman and ANC activist”, named as Molemela Setona, has apologised for acting in a manner that wasn’t “respectful” of the officer, to whom he reportedly apologised. He also apologised to “all women of South Africa and my glorious movement the ANC”.
He claimed he had lost his temper after being unfairly accused of stealing food parcels meant for the poor, when he had in fact bought the parcels himself with the intention of handing them out to struggling poor families.
Setona was seen swearing and shouting at the traffic officer after he was arrested and placed in a police van.
“What’s the charge against me? You found me in my car sleeping … there’s no charge!” he said. “I don’t fight or care about ANC member …. you are corrupted and you want a bribe. You want me to give you money,” he exclaimed.
The officer said the “ANC official” was drinking “expensive alcohol”.
“This is so embarrassing. This guy is driving a BMW … a very very expensive BMW, with food parcels. The poor are in need of those food parcels and he is drunk-drinking 18-year Glenfiddich,” she said.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said that JMPD officers had “found a BMW stationary in the middle of Kliprivier Road before midnight on Saturday 18 April 2020 with the engine running”.
Officers had to wake both men up, when the driver became abusive.
“Officers found a liquor bottle inside the car.”
Naidoo said the driver allegedly also damaged the windows of the JMPD vehicle and was charged for malicious damage to property and contravention of Covid-19 regulations.
“The passenger was also arrested and charged with contravention of Covid-19 regulations for being out on a public road at night.”
However, Setona told AfricaNews24-7 that he had the case against him withdrawn on Wednesday due to “lack of evidence”.
(Compiled by Charles Cilliers)
READ NEXT: Mashaba urges Mboweni ‘to save country’ and ‘to hell with ANC political consequences’.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
