Car fanatic threatened by metro cops 'just wanted to film Lamborghini'

A bystander who was threatened with being slapped by Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers says he is just a car fanatic who wanted to film a Lamborghini.

Tumelo Mngomezulu from Daveyton shot a video clip of the green supercar surrounded by metro police at the weekend but was told to stop filming because he had “no permission” from the officers. The clip has subsequently gone viral, with some describing the officers as “bullies”.

“They manhandled and threatened to assault me but they did not. I spoke to them and explained that I was not doing anything illegal. I was merely filming the Lamborghini … they could tell I knew my story and rights and they stopped,” he told TimesLIVE.

Mngomezulu said he was shocked by the conduct of the officers because he was not doing anything wrong. Taking videos and pictures of fancy cars was something he did often.

 “It might sound silly but I love cars. I wanted to capture the Lamborghini to also show people ekasi (in the township) because sometimes they would not believe that indeed I saw it,” said Mngomezulu.

After the incident, he lodged a complaint with the EMPD. “I went to lodge a complaint, wrote a statement and submitted the video as proof. After they saw the video they also advised that I open a case with the police and I did,” he said.  A case of intimidation was opened.

Mngomezulu said he had hoped to meet the driver of the Lamborghini. “So my plan was to give him my business card. I always do that with people I think could potentially teach me something in life,” he said.

EMPD spokesperson Wilfred Kgasago confirmed that the department had registered a complaint and an investigation was under way.

“The complainant came in on Tuesday and was interviewed by our internal affairs unit and a statement was submitted by him,” he said.

In the video, four EMPD vehicles are seen in the road around the sports car. Upon realising that they are being filmed, the officers start pointing fingers.

“Yey yey, susa lephone, susa lephone, ngzok’shaya ngempama, uyicele kuban permission, ngith uyicele kuban permission,” they say — loosely translated to, “Hey you, remove that phone, I’ll slap you, where did you get the permission [to film us]?”

Mngomezulu respond by saying: “Ningshayelani?” - “Why are you assaulting me?”

He goes on to tell officers: “I don’t see a Lamborghini every day, I never see Lamborghini every day. No, I don’t want to fight with you.”

The EMPD said the officers would be interviewed and asked to submit statements.

“Thereafter, the chief of staff will make a determination as to the initiation of a disciplinary process,” said Kgasago.