Cops abused after pulling Winnie's car over
2011-01-12 08:04
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Jacques Steenkamp, Beeld
Johannesburg - Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is demanding an apology from two police officers who pulled over her car on the M1 highway because it was weaving recklessly through traffic at 150km/h.
"Who the fuck do you think you are," she repeatedly yelled at him and his colleagues, Warrant Officer Jannie Odendaal said on Tuesday.
"I didn't recognise her since she had white powder all over her face and looked much older than when I'd last seen her."
Odendaal, a member of the Gauteng police flying squad, said the occupants of the vehicle refused to identify themselves.
"I've been working my arse off in the police for 19 years and now I have to apologise to her for doing my job," said Odendaal.
A general in the office of the Gauteng chief of police, Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros, told Odendaal that he would accompany them to Madikizela-Mandela so they can apologise.
Petros apologetic
Petros would then apologise on behalf of the police.
"I don't know if I still belong in the police if this is the way they treat me.
"It looks like they're accepting Ms Madikizela-Mandela's word above my own," said Odendaal.
At about 09:50 on December 30 2010, Odendaal and his colleague - who doesn't want to be identified or discuss the events - pulled over a silver Audi A6 at the Jan Smuts Avenue off ramp on the M1 north.
On orders from Petros, they were pulling over and searching vehicles.
According to Odendaal they had already noticed and followed the Audi at the Xavier Road off ramp.
"We decided to pull over the Audi and switched on our sirens and lights," Odendaal said.
The car, which has tinted windows, only stopped about 5km further.
Apartheid
"A man jumped out and yelled: 'Who the hell do you think you are to want to search this vehicle, we are not in the era of apartheid any more'," Odendaal said.
The man appeared to be one of Madikizela-Mandela's bodyguards. He bumped Odendaal against the chest, according to Odendaal.
"I fetched a taser from our vehicle to scare him off. He then said they are accompanying Ms Madikizela-Mandela and they're very late."
Odendaal's colleague insisted that he wanted to identify Madikizela-Mandela himself, but the man refused.
Odendaal says he and his colleagues were in full police uniform.
Madikizela-Mandela got out, yelled at them, and instructed her bodyguard and driver to drive on.
According to Odendaal they logged the incident, but no complaint was laid because they felt "nothing would come of it since it's Madikizela-Mandela".
Transferred
Last week they were informed that Madikizela-Mandela, her bodyguard and driver had submitted three complaints against them.
Odendaal says he was initially willing to swallow his pride and apologise, but has since changed his mind.
He and his colleague were transferred to other departments in the police on Friday until an internal investigation can be completed.
"We were asked to write a report and did so. We had to go to the provincial office where a general said Madikizela-Mandela would withdraw the complaints against us if we apologise to her."
Colonel Neville Malila, police spokesperson, said on Tuesday that a complaint of pointing a firearm and intimidation is being investigated against Odendaal and his colleague.
An internal investigation is also underway.
He said the bodyguards submitted these complaints. According to him the two policemen didn't speak to Petros and the case is considered sub judice.
Zodwa Zwane, Madikizela-Mandela's spokesperson, referred Beeld to "the minister or the commissioner of police".
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2011-01-12 22:44
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Jacques Steenkamp, Beeld
Mbombela - Police officials on Wednesday confiscated the service pistol of Warrant Officer Jannie Odendaal, 38, the flying squad member who was asked to apologise in person to former first lady Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (an MP) last week after an incident on the M1.
According to Odendaal, six police officials showed up at his house in Brakpan at about 11:00 and informed him that they had been ordered the fetch his service pistol.
He was also informed that his leave had been cancelled and he had to report to the Soweto police station later. He says he can't concentrate on anything at the moment, and that he's not sleeping much and is eating very little.
"I asked for sick leave and was booked off by a doctor for a week. Emotionally I'm a wreck. No-one can tell me what's happening and whether I'm suspended or not."
However, Odendaal says he received a great amount of support from the public on Wednesday and says he's very grateful for "this bit of hope".
"Everyone agrees with me and says I shouldn't apologise. If I were to do so it would look like we were the guilty party and not them. I think she should apologise to us for her poor behaviour," Odendaal says.
"MPs' bodyguards have always considered themselves to be above the law"; "Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law and should be treated equally" and "They think they can do what they want" were some of the comments from police officials who spoke to Beeld about the incident on Wednesday.
Winnie unreachable
Zodwa Zwane, Madikizela-Mandela's spokesperson, after many requests from Beeld to present their side of the story, said Madikizela-Mandela is unreachable and ended the phone call.
The police have not responded to Beeld's questions.
Pieter du Toit reports that opposition parties reacted sharply to Odendaal's allegations on Wednesday. Both the DA and the FF+ have asked that official and independent investigations into the incident be launched.
Kate Lorimer, DA MPL and party spokesperson for safety and security in Gauteng, on Wednesday asked the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) to investigate the incident.
Lorimer says in a statement that she is "extremely concerned" about the allegation that Petros would supposedly accompany the police officials to Madikizela-Mandela.
"If this is the case, what on earth gives him the impression that some people can break the law at will? He is supposed to support his police officials because it seems they were simply doing their jobs, as he has ordered on many occasions."
Pieter Groenewald, FF+ MP and spokesperson for police, says in a statement that Madikizela-Mandela should "immediately" be arrested for defeating the ends of justice.
Her behaviour furthermore testifies of a disregard for the law and creates the impression that she is above the law. Furthermore, her behaviour is an embarrassment to other MPs.
His party also wants an investigation about Petros' role, because his integrity has now been called into question: "His behaviour amounts to special treatment for Madikizela-Mandela
Winnie 'tried to calm things down'
2011-01-13 09:07
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Johannesburg - Winnie Madikizela-Mandela committed no traffic offence - she can't even drive and helped to prevent an incident which could have turned ugly, her spokesperson says.
It was members of the police, in fact, who swore at them and pointed firearms at them, said spokesperson Zodwa Zwane on Wednesday night.
She was reacting to allegations by a policeman, Warrant Officer Jannie Odendaal, that Gauteng police chief Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros wanted to force him to apologise to her after she and other people in the car swore at him and his colleague.
Police arrived at his house to take his service pistol on Wednesday, Odendaal told Jacques Steenkamp.
Weapon pointed
A man named Jacob, who was with Madikizela-Mandela in the silver grey Audi on the M1 heading north to Pretoria on December 30, said in a statement that an unmarked car had flashed its lights at them.
"I opened my passenger window holding my two-way radio in my hand to show we were stopping."
When the car stopped, he went to the black man who came from the passenger's side to "give us an explanation".
"He came at me with his R5 weapon pointed at me and used obscene and loud language towards me."
Jacob said he tried to explain they were with Madikizela-Mandela and that she was late for a funeral in Pretoria and that they accepted they had transgressed by driving too fast.
"You are talking kak, I don't give a fuck and I don't want to know," the man said, according to Jacob.
"I asked him for his ID but he refused. I then said I would call the national general but he again said he didn't give a fuck if I called him or not."
"His colleague then came, shouted at me and pointed his pistol at me...he rushed towards me while swearing at me. I also tried to explain to him we were with Mama Mandela."
Aggressive and insulting to Madikizela-Mandela
Madikizela-Mandela then got out of the car to calm matters down, "but to my surprise, the two policemen became more aggressive and insulting in front of her".
"The white man pointed his finger at Mama and said: 'I don't give a fuck who you are, go back to the fucking car'."
The black man did nothing to stop his colleague and according to his statement, hit Jacob on the left knee with the R5.
"Mama Mandela then ordered us to drive away because the situation was becoming ugly."
Zwane said the accusations against Madikizela-Mandela are "false and intended to hurt and harm her reputation. They are malicious".
Odendaal said on Wednesday he was informed that his leave had been cancelled. He later went to the Soweto police station. "I asked for sick leave and was booked off by a doctor for a week. Emotionally I'm a wreck. No-one can tell me what's happening and whether I'm suspended or not."
Odendaal said he had received much support from the public on Wednesday and was very grateful for this "bit of hope".
"Everyone agrees with me and says I shouldn't apologise. If I do that, it will look like we were guilty and not them. I think she has to come and apologise for her poor behaviour."
The DA and FF+ have asked for independent investigations, reported Pieter du Toit.
- Beeld
Comments by Sonny
Police top management should be fired!!
Police commit murder, robbery and ATM bombings and they are let out of prison on bail
and return to work!!
They are arrested for the same crimes while out on bail!
Here we have a political racist case where the perpetrator becomes the victim and the
victim ends up being a White policeman.
He is slapped with an immediate transfer and his black colleague will probably get
promoted for not siding by him!
Then police arrive at his house and confiscate his service pistol because he refuses to apologise to the main perpetrator!
Where is police management here?
This remind's us of the obnoxious Jackie Selebi who was convicted of Corruption while
serving as the Commissioner of the South African Police Service!
They are bias and partial towards this White policeman and support their MK
counterparts!!
Is this the price to pay for SA democracy?
SA is following the route of Zimbabwe, its just a matter of time!
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