Traffic cops hoodwink tourists

2003-10-27 21:23

Lizel Steenkamp

Limpopo - An Australian tourist and his Austrian companion are furious after Limpopo traffic officers allegedly demanded they pay a R500 fine or face jail.

In addition, the traffic officers also allegedly refused to write out a receipt for the money. Instead they promised "to post it".

Five officers apparently stopped David Bradley and Miriam Scherl on Thursday morning on the R532 between Hoedspruit and Ohrigstad.

According to Bradley and Scherl's statement, the traffic officers inspected their hired car and saw that the licence was not glued to the windscreen.

"They said it was a serious transgression of the law and threatened to arrest us. But they promised not to spoil our holiday if we handed over R500. We had no choice," read their statement.

According to their statement, one officer had three gold teeth and one of his colleagues was a small, thin man with an intimidating smile.

"We are not rich tourists. We sleep in tents. The R500 was a week's worth of accommodation.

"It is pathetic that tourists are done in by the people responsible for protecting them against robbers," they said.

But thankfully the owner of a guesthouse in Graskop took the two under his wing. "They were too scared to carry on," said Andre Lotz.

Ben Mehale, chief of Limpopo's traffic department, is furious over the allegations. On Monday he informed the organised crime unit of the incident.

Police have however, tried to track down the couple who are believed to be in Swaziland. Mehale said the couple was needed for an identity parade.

A spot fine can only be paid at the nearest police station or at a magistrate's court.

- Beeld