Wheels come off for DJ S'bu

2007-12-16 10:30

Johannesburg - DJ S'B is an irresponsible driver - and this has cost him his sleek two-seater sports machine.

He was caught travelling at nearly 260km/h in a 120km/h zone on the N1 highway near the Grasmere toll plaza, south of Johannesburg, earlier this week.

As a result, Audi South Africa is taking back his sponsored topless half-million-rand TT Roadster, after he was arrested for speeding.

What S'bu, whose real name is S'busiso Leope, perhaps didn't realise was that at a speed of 260km/h one would need almost a kilometre to stop the car in an emergency.

Speaking to City Press in an exclusive interview, Audi South SA's spokesperson Meena Motiram said her company was not responsible for "people's driving habits".

"We don't condone reckless driving. But we are not responsible for people's actions," she said.

Asked what was going to happen to S'bu's sponsored TT Roadster, Motiram said: "We are pulling back the car immediately."

Brand ambassador

She said S'bu was one of Audi's brand ambassadors offered the sleek two-seater German drop-top for a period of a year. But Audi SA had decided to withdraw its sponsorship following the incident, Motiram said.

Explaining why the roadster had exceeded its top speed, which is limited to 250km/h, Motiran said it had to do with the engine management unit.

"Sometimes the limiter kicks in a few kilometres under 250km/h or a few above. But it wouldn't be more than 10km/h," she explained.

The TT Roadster's 3.2-litre V6 produces a maximum power output of 184kW with a peak torque of 320Nm, making it capable of sprinting from 0 to 100km/h in a sizzling 5.9 seconds.

Describing how S'bu was caught, chief superintendent Wayne Minnaar of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department said two "fast cars" (VW Golf 2.0), waiting a kilometre from the spot where the speed cameras were set up, started giving chase a few seconds before S'bu rocketed past them.

"With two fast cars, with blue lights and metro police officers in full uniform carrying guns, a motorist has no chance to speed off," said Minnaar.

S'bu, who was believed to have been travelling from the Eastern Cape to his Randburg home, was found guilty of reckless driving by a Johannesburg magistrate . He was sentenced to nine months in jail suspended for three years, and a R7 000 fine or six months in jail. He opted to pay the fine.

Not acceptable

Spokesperson for the transport department Collin Msibi said his behaviour was not acceptable.

"This kind of behaviour should be treated with the seriousness it deserves.

"We are glad the court gave him a hefty fine and we hope this will serve to show other celebrities who were intending to do the same thing that no one is above the law," he said.

Minnaar said the highest speed recorded in the Johannesburg area was by a driver of a Porsche on the N14 highway between Pretoria and Krugersdorp. He was caught travelling at 283km/h last year.

He warned that the Johannesburg metro police department was embarking on a "zero tolerance" approach over the festive season.

S'bu was not available for comment, but in an interview with daily newspapers he apologised for being on the wrong side of the law.

- City Press