A KwaZulu-Natal chief prosecutor has found herself on the wrong side of the law.
|||Durban - A chief prosecutor from KwaZulu-Natal, who is meant to bring criminals to book, has found herself on the wrong side of the law.
Philile Sibeko, 42, was arrested on the N2 highway by Tongaat police last week and charged with drunk driving and speeding.
Traffic authorities said on Thursday that the arrest should serve as a warning to motorists to “behave” over the busy Easter weekend.
Sibeko appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Friday and was granted bail of R1 000.
According to police she had been driving at close to 200km/h, but they could not say how far over the legal alcohol limit she was alleged to be.
On Wednesday KZN Transport Department spokesman Kwanele Ncalane said:
“While she must still be proven guilty, it is extremely disappointing for a person in her position to be arrested for these crimes.
“She is meant to lead by example as a custodian of the law. But this arrest shows that no one is above the law.”
At the launch of the province’s Easter road safety plan last week, Transport MEC Willies Mchunu said the department had committed itself to supporting the national department’s proposal to implement a zero alcohol/blood limit for driving.
Ncalane added that drunk drivers and speedsters would be major targets during Easter.
“Drunk driving is one of the major contributors to fatalities on our roads, so we are urging motorists, especially over this busy weekend, to obey the law. Over 1 000 traffic officers will be out patrolling over the long weekend; they will be checking vehicles and carrying out roadblocks.”
Metro police spokesman Eugene Msomi said 500 officers had been deployed and would be manning roadblocks across the city. “We started with our plan last weekend, and 61 drunk drivers were arrested. This weekend we will be focusing on drunk driving, speeding and the roadworthiness of vehicles.”
National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Natasha Ramkisson said Sibeko would appear in court again in July.
kamini.padayachee@inl.co.za
The Mercury