Durban metro cops told don't touch deputy mayor's illegally parked car

Durban's metro police have warned drivers in the city not to expect any tolerance if they break the law. The only exception, it appears, is if you are the deputy mayor.

The Sunday Times can reveal that bodyguards interfered when the metro police wanted to tow away deputy mayor Nomvuzo Shabalala's official municipal vehicle, which was illegally parked.

At about 9pm on Friday, December 5, the vehicle - a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with the licence plate NDM 8 - was parked on a pavement in Florida Road, a trendy restaurant and nightlife precinct, while Shabalala, council speaker Logie Naidoo and an American delegation that included the mayor of New Orleans ate dinner. All municipal vehicles have NDM plates.

According to an eyewitness, a metro police officer noticed the illegally parked vehicle and wanted to have it towed away.

A video seen by the Sunday Times this week showed a flat-bed tow truck stopping in front of the SUV, ready to remove it.

The video clip then showed a man, seemingly the driver or a member of the security detail, arguing with the officer, identified only as Klompas.

The officer eventually backed off and the driver parked the car elsewhere.

The apparent favouritism shown towards a mayoral car flies in the face of a statement by municipal spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa just two days earlier, in which she said law enforcement agencies would be deployed to "ensure that law and order is maintained".

Shabalala was unavailable for comment.

Klompas did not deny the incident, but said he could not comment.

Mthethwa denied Shabalala was using the car that night, but Naidoo confirmed that she was at the dinner. Mthethwa also denied that the vehicle was parked on the pavement.

However, the video shows the SUV stopped on the pavement.

Naidoo justified the vehicle being parked illegally, saying: "Florida Road is highly trafficked. We had international guests, so you can't park far away and expect the mayor to walk. There was a misunderstanding [with metro police].

"In all fairness, metro police should have recognised us because it was my vehicle, the deputy mayor's vehicle and a vehicle for the [New Orleans'] mayor's delegation. One of the officers didn't realise it was an NDM vehicle. It was eventually resolved."

Naidoo added that the restaurant booking was changed at the last minute because of power cuts.

DA caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango said he was worried about this growing "trend".

"I also saw the mayor's car once parked on a pavement in Florida Road. It's a trend where they think they can do whatever they want.

"She (Shabalala) wasn't supposed to let them park in the wrong spot. As the second person in the city, she must lead by example. She can't park illegally and then expect to negotiate with metro police."

savidesm@sundaytimes.co.za