By Bahle Gama
Members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) were left gobsmacked when a motorist sipping on alcohol decided to overtake them on a solid line.
The Hansa Pilsener sipping motorist was stopped in Manzana along D 38 public road. On the morning of June 16, Sifiso Welcome Maseko (42) was slapped with two traffic counts, including contravening Section 91 (1) of the Road Traffic Act no 6 of 2007 as read with Section 122 (2) for drinking and driving.
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He was also charged with contravening Section 89 (1) of the same act for driving recklessly and overtaking on a double solid line. He reportedly also drove at an unreasonable speed disregarding the condition of the road, being a curve.
Maseko made his appearance before Magistrate Chazile Thwala where he pleaded guilty to both counts. During mitigation, he told the court that he was driving from Malkerns after receiving a phone call that his mother needed food and was sickly.
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“I was overspeeding because I was rushing to her to deliver the food which I bought with money I borrowed from a loan shark, and it ended up at the police station. I’m unemployed due to medical reasons and have eight children,” he told the court.
Magistrate Thwala sentenced Maseko to 10 months in prison or pay a fine of E1 000 for drinking and driving and five months or E500 for negligent driving. Sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
