Actor 'humiliated' by cop
2008-09-02 09:10
Pretoria - Actor and artist At Botha, 58, says he is upset after being "humiliated, made to feel guilty and made to stand on one leg by a 'rotten egg' metro police officer" at a roadblock on the N14 highway.
Botha was heading back to his home in Krugersdorp at about 21:30 on Friday after visiting the Pretoria Show when he was pulled off the road at the Malibongwe turn-off.
According to Botha, the official's attitude was hostile from the beginning. He pointed out he was in favour of roadblocks and knew that this particular official's behaviour wasn't an example of the whole metro police department.
"I was unfortunately one of the people who was pulled off. The 'rotten egg' started barking at me. He asked me how many beers I had drunk. He wanted to humiliate me."
He said the official ordered him to "stand on one leg for bloody long and shone his torch in my eyes."
Botha claims the official was visibly disappointed when he was able to stand that long on his right leg, and then shouted at him that he still looked drunk.
He said he didn't know what could have given the metro police officer the idea that he was drunk, as he had definitely not been drinking.
'Completely unacceptable'
"I felt angry because he made me feel guilty, dirty and grateful. I didn't know why I should feel grateful to be able to go. Why did he make me feel guilty? Why didn't he let me take the breathalyser test? It was completely unacceptable."
He apparently asked that the official give him this test, after which his driver's licence was given to him and he was ordered "with a bark" to leave.
Botha said he drove the same road the following night and looked for another roadblock to see "if I would be treated the same way".
Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metro Police, said metro police officials had the authority to ask motorists to walk on a solid white line or to stand on one leg if they suspected the motorist was under the influence of alcohol.