Road rage: taxi driver slaps woman
A woman was slapped across the face and hit against the head by a taxi driver last Wednesday during a road rage incident apparently caused by the roadworks currently being done in Hospital Street near the corner of Biccard Street.
POLOKWANE – A woman was slapped across the face and hit against the head by a taxi driver last Wednesday during a road rage incident apparently caused by the roadworks currently being done in Hospital Street near the corner of Biccard Street.
Nadine Moloto said the incident occurred at around 18:00 when her vehicle and a minibus taxi approached the narrow space left for the four lanes of vehicles to cross Hospital Street.
“I saw that the space was becoming so small that just one vehicle would be able to pass and hooted at the minibus who was approaching my vehicle to warn him.
“The man then climbed out of his vehicle and screamed at me. I tried to explain that I was just trying to warn him of my presence as he was approaching too fast, but he slapped me in the face and hit me against the side of my head,” Moloto told Review.
She said the more she tried to explain herself the more angry the man became, and it was only when two other young men approached them that the man ran to his vehicle and drove off.
The incident caused even more congestion and vehicles were backed up in Biccard Street with motorists hooting and screaming at Moloto.
“It was like being in an angry crowd and I believe that given a bit more irritation there would have been an angry mob and someone would have been seriously injured,” Moloto said.
Polokwane police spokesperson, Capt. Ntobeng Phala, said road construction zones presented a serious hazard for municipal workers, motorists, and pedestrians and had become a defining factor in the increase of road rage incidents in the city.
He said this hazard was brought about by speed limits, impatient drivers, and widespread traffic congestion in most of the main roads of the city.
He urged motorists to be patient when travelling in roads affected by roadworks and not to become angry and unruly and take the law into their own hands.
Phala suggested that where possible motorists should make use of alternative routes to avoid such incidents.
“The police will not tolerate people taking the law into their own hands. South Africa is a caring country and in an incident like this where a man hits a woman the incident may very easily change into a mob justice incident. This can all be avoided if residents apply patience and caution,” Phala said. Phala said the added factors of the hot weather and driving stress made the situation even worse.
Municipal spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, urged motorists to follow the directional signs that would detour them to their destinations.
“The municipality apologises for any inconvenience, but the roadworks are needed to upgrade and improve the roads for all motorists,” he said.
