BEE tycoon flees police in a Ferrari

SOUTH African BEE darling Lonwabo Fezekile Mahlati spent Christmas Day in a police cell after leading the police on a high-speed car chase in a Ferrari.

The 51-year-old businessman from Bishopscourt in Cape Town is facing an investigation that could see him stripped of his driver's licence after he was arrested twice - in the space of nine days over the festive season - for alleged drunk driving in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.

He was arrested in Riversdale following a car chase on Christmas Eve after he was clocked at 140km/h in a 90km/h zone.

Mahlati - whose business interests have included oil and property - was taken to a local hospital, where blood was drawn on suspicion of alcohol consumption. He was released from custody on Christmas afternoon.

The incident came nine days after he spent a night at the Cambridge police cells in East London after being caught allegedly speeding in an Audi.

Mahlati's CV describes 15 years of business experience in which he established black empowerment initiatives and credits him with helping to set up the ANC's investment arm, Thebe Holdings, as well as Cosatu's investment company, Kopano Ke Matla.

Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi confirmed that Mahlati was released on R500 bail after appearing in the East London Magistrate's Court. He said the police had drawn blood and charged him with driving under the influence, reckless and negligent driving and resisting arrest.

The Riversdale incident has attracted the attention of Western Cape transport MEC Robin Carlisle, who this week set in motion steps to potentially have the businessman stripped of his driver's licence.

Carlisle said Mahlati had been arrested six times for traffic offences, including drunk driving, since 2007.

Mahlati yesterday declined to comment, saying that he was attending his mother's funeral.

"Would you respect that," he said before ending the call.

Carlisle this week asked the acting CEO of the Road Traffic Management Corporation, Collins Letsoalo, for permission to determine whether Mahlati should be stripped of his licence under the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996. The corporation's spokesman, Ashref Ismail, confirmed that the request was under consideration.

"The court will deal with the issue of criminality. We deal with safety, competence and education - he cannot be a danger to other road users."

Ismail said the tests included psychometric evaluations and considered a driver's emotional stability.

"One may be physically able to drive a car, change gears, but with habitual road offenders we do not know whether they are able to handle driving," he said.

Carlisle said the police discovered - after Mahlati's arrest in Riversdale - that he had previously been arrested for drunk driving and other traffic offences five times.

"Four previous incidents happened around Cape Town and date back to 2007. He has never stood trial for them," Carlisle said on Friday. He said he would take the matter up with the National Prosecuting Authority.

"But looking at the ridiculous court date of January 22 2014 given to him by the police [for the Riversdale incident] and the fact that the police gave him bail ... there should be an Independent Police Investigative Directorate investigation into the Riversdale police station," Carlisle said.

Police spokesman Captain Malcolm Pojie said Mahlati paid R5000 bail before he was released by the police in Riversdale.