By Bahle Gama
A 28-year-old Toyota Quantum driver has been arrested and charged with three traffic counts, including the inability to produce a driver’s permit.
Mndeni Myeni from Manzini was arrested and charged with contravening the Road Traffic and Transportation Acts respectively near Chumana.
Myeni reportedly failed to comply with the conditions of operating the vehicle by ranking at Chumana instead of the bus rank and by so doing contravened Section 3 (1) (b) as read with Section 32 (1) (a) of the Road Transportation Act 5 of 2007.
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He was further charged with contravening Section 27 (2) as read with Section 32 (1) of the same Act for failing to produce a public driving permit.
Myeni was also charged with Section 67 (1) as read with Section 122 (7) of the Road Traffic Act 6 of 2007 for driving and stopping the vehicle along Mdzimba Avenue where it was found on the roadway.
Appearing before Magistrate Chazile Thwala, Myeni pleaded guilty to all three counts and further pleaded for the court’s leniency. He told the court that the reason he did not produce the permit was that it had expired, and he intended on renewing it.
“I apologise for breaking the traffic laws and not sorting my permit in time. I have two children and only work as a relief driver. I plead for the court’s leniency,” said Myeni.
Magistrate Thwala sentenced Myeni to five months in prison with an option of a fine of E500 for each of the first two counts. He was further sentenced to three months of E300 fine for not producing a permit.
Sentences were ordered to run concurrently.