Road rage fuels racism

Road rage is the right words to use to describe the incident that occurred on Mandela Road close to the N4 turnoff over the weekend.

This video posted by Mr Elvis Makaleng sparked a series of racial remarks, but it does not solve the problem motorists experience on the stretch of road every day.
Makaleng told WITBANK NEWS he was just too late to record the whole incident. He was on his way to the mall when the incident played off in front of him.

The video of this road rage incident can be seen below

“It all started when a taxi driver bumped into a bakkie. The next moment three white guys climbed out of a white Polo, went over to the taxi driver and dragged him out of his taxi. They started beating him,” Makaleng said.

He said by the time he started recording the video more taxis stopped and commuters as well as other taxi drivers started attacking the three men.

In the video clip you can only see the three men being attacked.
His version was supported by that of another motorist who wishes to stay anonymous. He however said he is willing to tell the three white men that they are cowards and he is ashamed to be called a white man after what he saw.

“I drove past as the traffic was extremely slow. In my point of view the drivers of the bakkie and the Polo pushed the taxi against the bridge. I am of the opinion that the taxi did take a chance to push into the right lane and bumped the bakkie. But it does not condone what happened next,” the motorist said.

“The man in the red t-shirt threw the first punch at the taxi driver. The man in the black shirt also climbed in with his fists. That was when the commuters and other taxi drivers rushed to the scene to try and resolve the fight. At that stage the man with the wooden leg had a lot to say, insulting and swearing at the group that grew bigger. I turned around and drove past again. If I had stopped I would have given the three men a well deserved hiding with my sjambok for the way they behaved.”

Mr Dylan Lang said the incident was sparked when a taxi driver in the left lane, indicating the turn-off to Middleburg, carried on straight in the lane and bumped his dad, Mr Donald Lang’s bakkie.

“We were driving behind them and when I got out to get the taxi driver’s details for insurance purposes everyone jumped out of the taxi and started hitting.”

On the video you can clearly see, Lang’s friend Johan van der Merwe being beaten with an object.
Road rage on this specific road is not an isolated episode.

A motorist who wishes to remain anonymous told WITBANK NEWS that on October 28 a taxi also bumped her husband’s bakkie and drove away.

“Luckily another motorist saw what had happened and chased after the taxi bringing it to a standstill. When we stopped next to them a woman jumped out and shouted she was pregnant. In front of my five-year-old child she screamed that it would have been better if we al died,” the woman said.

According to the woman the commuters then got out and started pushing the two boys that drove with them, around.

“The police came to the scene and before even talking to us took the commuters’ side saying we used the k-word. Needless to say we spend more than two hours in the police station trying to open a case, but eventually left as we got no help from the police.”

The municipality has confirmed that regular road rage incidents occur at this spot.

“Our traffic officials are simply not enough to be deployed at all the hot spots at all times and when deployed their main task is to regulate traffic and in this to stop and fine transgressors can not be done unless dedicated personnel is deployed,” said the Municipal Manager Mr Theo van Vuuren.

A week ago the municipal traffic department had a huge success when they focussed on that stretch of road. In general law enforcement has increased significantly and fines of more than R500 000 a month are collected per month in comparison with less than R15 000 per month three years ago.

“We however acknowledge this is not enough and much more must be done. Yes the behaviour by taxis but also many other motorists in this municipality are a concern. Speeding especially at night despite the potholes, ignoring of stop streets and using the road shoulder and pushing in front of others during peak hours is a crisis. This issue is especially evident at the off ramps to KG mall and at the bridge crossing the N4 at the Highveld Mall,” said Van Vuuren.

Looking at a solution, it was proposed that the different law entities should be more visible and embark on a campaign that runs hand in hand with the SAPS’s Operation Festive Season.

“The proposed campaign may be a good idea and we will look at its practicalities. Let us also state that it can not only be a case of law enforcement, we also need an attitude change which will lead to more rule compliant behaviour,” said Van Vuuren.

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