On Tuesday July 27 2010 at 13:30, I had reason to visit the Lakeside Mall in Benoni. It was not very busy and parking spaces were ample. As I was walking towards the entrance an EMPD vehicle drove past me and parked in a "disabled" parking bay.

I waited for the driver (there was only a driver in the car) to get out to see what his disability was. Lo and behold! A strapping young man jumps out and proceeds to walk unaided and briskly towards the entrance. So, I asked him what his disability was.

 He stared at me blankly. I changed my tactic and told him that he had parked in a bay reserved for disabled people.

His answer? Oh I am only going to be a minute! I told him that I don't agree with his actions. There are lots of parking bays available. He then told me to mind my own business. I told him that I am minding my own business as he is in effect employed because I pay my taxes. He then told me that he was called to attend to "a situation". All the time walking briskly.

He stopped in front of Truworths. When he entered the store I followed him in. He proceeded to the back of the store where he was welcomed by what looked like a lady friend/relative and they had a nice old chat. He saw me looking at him at which point he took an envelope from the lady and left the store to go back to his illegally parked car.

I spoke to the security guards employed by Lakeside Mall as well as the car guards and asked them why they allow this to happen. They told me that if they ask the cops not to use the disabled parking bays they are told to "voetsek" or to mind their own! This is a daily occurrence.

Note that there are specially demarcated bays for emergency vehicles right in front of the entrances and that this spot was free for the EMPD officer to use if he was "responding to a situation".

Incidents like this just anger me so much. How do I teach my children the most basic rights and wrongs when this sort of thing happens right in front of them all the time and nothing is done about it?

How do our so-called law enforcers expect the public to respect them and the law they are supposed to enforce if they so blatantly flaunt their own disregard?

I did not manage to get this arrogant fool's name but did get a lovely clear photograph of his vehicle parked in the disabled bay.

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