WATCH: PE student busted for reckless driving after video of rental car goes viral

A Nelson Mandela University student, Melusi Magwenyane, appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on charges of reckless and negligent driving.

The 25-year-old was arrested on Tuesday after a video went viral of a motorist breaking a number of road safety laws and driving dangerously in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The DA opened a case against the student on Monday after seeing the video.

“When I saw the video I was furious! Less than 18 months ago two people were killed on that exact spot because of driving under the influence,” said John Best, the DA’s Nelson Mandela Bay spokesperson for safety and security.

The opposition party said in a statement it was “committed to ensuring the rule of law”.

“Not only did the driver place his own life at risk while performing these foolish ‘stunts’, he also placed the lives of innocent bystanders at risk as well,” said Best.

He said people who broke the law should be held to account and face the consequences of their actions.

READ MORE: DA registers criminal case against ‘reckless’ driver in Port Elizabeth

“We did a little investigating and realised that the car was a rented vehicle and so we contacted the company who swiftly tracked the vehicle down.”

According to Best, the vehicle was rented by a friend of the driver who clarified in a statement that the driver – caught in the video – had taken his keys from him while they had been drinking.

In a second statement the DA released, Best commended police for the “speedy arrest”.

The case was postponed to 23 April for further investigation.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.