Metro police chief arrests teen driving 'coffin on wheels'

An unlicensed teenage driver was arrested shortly after committing a traffic violation on Wednesday morning – right in front of metro police chief Yolande Faro.

The incident happened less than 1km from the metro police headquarters in South End just after 8am.

The 17-year-old was driving an unroadworthy Toyota Siyaya taxi. Faro arrested him on the spot.

Faro said she was surprised by the driver’s callousness when he disregarded a directional arrow and road markings even though their vehicles were close together and he could see she was in full uniform.

“The surprise wore off very quickly though. I also noticed that the driver was very young and that his vehicle was in a rundown condition and pulled him over at the corner of Walmer Boulevard [between Humewood and Mitchell Street].

“It was immediately noticeable that the taxi does not have any front number plate, door handles or interior panels. It is essentially a coffin on wheels,” she said.

“The driver could not produce a drivers license, a professional driving permit [PrDP] or any other form of identification. I arrested him and took him to the Humewood police station.

“Besides the fact that the doors of the vehicle could not properly open or close, it has a defective steering mechanism, the parking brake didn’t work and the engine leaked oil as well.”

The driver was charged for disregarding roads markings and for driving without a drivers license and a PrDP.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security, John Best, applauded Faro for her exemplary leadership.

“I am very pleased with the excellent work of the Metro Police Chief and her eagerness to lead from the front. If we continue in this vein, law enforcement on our roads will undoubtedly reach the levels it ought to be,” he said.