The Road Traffic Inspectorate is there to keep the peace on KwaZulu-Natal's roads, to ensure that drivers maintain the speed limit: its officers not there to foment road rage, but one Durban resident discovered a traffic policeman this week who went all out to raise his temperature.
Terry DeLacy, the first chairperson of Durban's community policing forum, has been instrumental in keeping the peace in communities as well as providing foreign investment and employment opportunities.
But he found himself on the other side of the law last week when he had a run-in with a traffic officer.
DeLacy was travelling at 120km/h along the N2 Durban-bound when a car came flying up behind him.
"He came careering up behind me," said DeLacy.
As he moved over he saw that it was a Road Traffic Inspectorate vehicle.
In anger, he flashed his lights as the car sped by and, in response, the driver and passenger stuck their arms out of the car windows and showed "stuff you" signs.
"It didn't look as if they had any emergency to attend; there were no lights flashing," said DeLacy. "They were just speeding".
When he saw the vehicle pull over to the side of the road to assist a truck, DeLacy pulled over as well. He said the senior inspector came over to him and asked why he had flashed his lights at them. DeLacy explained that they were obviously exceeding the speed limit and that was reckless endangerment.
He told the inspector that he himself was doing 120km/h and they had passed him as if he were standing still.
DeLacy then alleged that the senior officer, who was an Indian man, called him racist.
"He said if he had had a decent education as I did he wouldn't be doing this lousy job," alleged DeLacy. "He went on to say that if he weren't wearing his uniform he would have beaten me up. I told him to try."
The verbal sparring continued, with DeLacy getting more heated and the dialogue becoming more abusive.
DeLacy said he told the officer it was "nice to be important, but more important to be nice". He then asked the officer his name, superior's name and the unit he belonged to.
The officer advised him to "look it up in the phone book", and refused to furnish any details.
After telling the officer that his "attitude sucks", DeLacy climbed into his car and left. While driving he picked up his cellphone to try to trace the officer's superior to report the incident to him.
As he called directory enquiries, he noticed a vehicle come up behind him, lights flashing. The same officer flagged him down.
DeLacy was given a R1 000 fine - R700 for driving without his licence on him and R300 for talking on the cellphone while driving.
Vijen Murugan of the Road Traffic Inspectorate guaranteed the officers responsible would be "hauled over the coals".
"We do not tolerate traffic officers abusing their authority and acting beyond the scope of their office," he said.
"I give my personal guarantee that this will be fully investigated. We cannot allow officers to think they are above their positions."
