Burnt car in Roodekrans removed for public safety

After having stood abandoned on the corner of Amyrillis Drive and Moepel Road in Roodekrans for almost three weeks, four residents removed the burnt-out vehicle on 23 January.

According to one of the nearby residents, Janie Venter Meintjies, who witnessed the incident on 5 January, there was no indication that the driver of the vehicle was speeding. “We did not hear the car approaching or screeching brakes like we usually do, we only heard a thump. We immediately checked what it was and saw the burning vehicle on the corner, with someone still in the driver’s seat,” she explained.

She added that she immediately contacted the Fire Department. At first the call was not answered and then she was told the area was unknown to them. “We then saw the man get out of his car, and he kept saying ‘oh no, oh no’. We then asked him if there was any one else in the car because it sounded like someone was trying to kick the door from the inside to get out, but he just ran away. We then checked but found no one else in the car,” she continued.

Meintjies further explained how they tried to put out the fire themselves with water from their hosepipe. After the flames had died down and only the tyres were still smouldering, the Fire Department arrived.

The City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi was contacted regarding the comment about the Fire Department. “If a person phones the EMS, the server automatically tracks the area of the call to ensure quick service in an emergency situation. The comment the Fire Department employee made to the caller was incorrect, and we would investigate this issue and deal with it to sort out the problem. When a caller phones the Fire Department, the call should be recorded on the system, and we will be able to go back and identify the individual (employee) to deal with the situation,” he commented.

The owner of the vehicle was tracked down and given a seven-day notice by Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to remove it from the scene.

The JMPD spokesperson, Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, said, “If the vehicle is not removed within seven days, we will remove and impound it. If the owner comes to collect it, he or she will have to pay a fine before allowed to remove it. If the owner does not collect it or pay the fine, it will become state property,” he said.

Meintjies explained that she tried to contact JMPD numerous times regarding the vehicle and the unwanted attention it was attracting. “I contacted them on various occasions to come and remove the vehicle, seeing that it was still there after the seven days. At night you could hear he people trying to strip the car and steal the parts, and the dogs in the neighbourhood would go crazy,” she said.

The Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch (RNW) said they have also raised this issue with JMPD repeatedly. “JMPD, the only party with the requisite legal authority to impound the vehicle after the seven day notice, has promised to impound it, but we are still waiting,” the RNW message read.

On 23 January four men took action and removed the vehicle from the scene while RNW controlled the traffic in the area.

The Record contacted JMPD for comment on the situation, which according to Minnaar claimed they had no knowledge of the issue or the allegations. “JMPD is of the opinion that the owner of the vehicle removed it from the scene. If the vehicle was still there after seven days, JMPD would have made the arrangements for it to be removed. The area Acting Vice Director and station commander, Wandile Mrubata, is unfortunately not personally aware of this situation. It would be appreciated if, in future, any information be sent to him at wandilem@joburg.org.za or to his secretary at ursulap@joburg.org.za,” Minnaar said.

Meintjies received a message from a resident, saying that the owner of the vehicle had passed away after suffering severe burns when his car was on fire. This has yet to be confirmed.

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Roodekrans — After having stood abandoned on the corner of Amyrillis Drive and Moepel Road in Roodekrans for almost three weeks, four residents removed the burnt-out vehicle on 23 January.

According to one of the nearby residents, Janie Venter Meintjies, who witnessed the incident on 5 January, there was no indication that the driver of the vehicle was speeding. “We did not hear the car approaching or screeching brakes like we usually do, we only heard a thump. We immediately checked what it was and saw the burning vehicle on the corner, with someone still in the driver’s seat,” she explained.

She added that she immediately contacted the Fire Department. At first the call was not answered and then she was told the area was unknown to them. “We then saw the man get out of his car, and he kept saying ‘oh no, oh no’. We then asked him if there was any one else in the car because it sounded like someone was trying to kick the door from the inside to get out, but he just ran away. We then checked but found no one else in the car,” she continued.

Meintjies further explained how they tried to put out the fire themselves with water from their hosepipe. After the flames had died down and only the tyres were still smouldering, the Fire Department arrived.

The City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi was contacted regarding the comment about the Fire Department. “If a person phones the EMS, the server automatically tracks the area of the call to ensure quick service in an emergency situation. The comment the Fire Department employee made to the caller was incorrect, and we would investigate this issue and deal with it to sort out the problem. When a caller phones the Fire Department, the call should be recorded on the system, and we will be able to go back and identify the individual (employee) to deal with the situation,” he commented.

The owner of the vehicle was tracked down and given a seven-day notice by Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to remove it from the scene.

The JMPD spokesperson, Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, said, “If the vehicle is not removed within seven days, we will remove and impound it. If the owner comes to collect it, he or she will have to pay a fine before allowed to remove it. If the owner does not collect it or pay the fine, it will become state property,” he said.

Meintjies explained that she tried to contact JMPD numerous times regarding the vehicle and the unwanted attention it was attracting. “I contacted them on various occasions to come and remove the vehicle, seeing that it was still there after the seven days. At night you could hear he people trying to strip the car and steal the parts, and the dogs in the neighbourhood would go crazy,” she said.

The Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch (RNW) said they have also raised this issue with JMPD repeatedly. “JMPD, the only party with the requisite legal authority to impound the vehicle after the seven day notice, has promised to impound it, but we are still waiting,” the RNW message read.

On 23 January four men took action and removed the vehicle from the scene while RNW controlled the traffic in the area.

The Record contacted JMPD for comment on the situation, which according to Minnaar claimed they had no knowledge of the issue or the allegations. “JMPD is of the opinion that the owner of the vehicle removed it from the scene. If the vehicle was still there after seven days, JMPD would have made the arrangements for it to be removed. The area Acting Vice Director and station commander, Wandile Mrubata, is unfortunately not personally aware of this situation. It would be appreciated if, in future, any information be sent to him at wandilem@joburg.org.za or to his secretary on ursulap@joburg.org.za,” Minnaar said.

Meintjies received a message from a resident, saying that the owner of the vehicle had passed away after suffering severe burns when his car was on fire. This has yet to be confirmed.