Police in disabled parking row
March 2 2015 at 02:43pm
By ZAINUL DAWOOD
By ZAINUL DAWOOD
INDEPENDENT
MEDIA
Policewomen were confronted by disgruntled shoppers
in Pinetown.
Durban - Police who parked their vehicles in bays designated for
disabled and wheelchair-bound motorists came in for criticism at the weekend.
Irate shoppers at two shopping malls photographed police cars and vans
parked in these bays and put them up on Facebook, which prompted a huge public
outcry.
The parking bays have clear signboards warning motorists they were only
meant for the disabled.
At Sandy Centre in Pinetown, two policewomen were engaged in a heated
argument with motorists and shoppers on Friday afternoon.
Caylee Short said she was on the second floor of the building when she
heard people shouting.
“I peered down and saw the cop van in the disabled parking. A lady, who
was not disabled, parked them in to show that it was wrong. Two policewomen
came out of the shop and started shouting at her. I heard the one cop say to a
man ‘How do you know my brother or sister isn’t disabled?’”
The Facebook posting drew close to 800 “likes” in an hour and more than
100 comments.
Some people heaped praise on the driver who blocked the police in.
Others hurled cynical remarks at the policewomen.
Some pondered why they were using a state vehicle to shop. Others said
their wheels should have been clamped.
Then, on Sunday, Richard Leask photographed a police minibus parked in a
disabled bay at Dirk Spar in Sarnia.
“Cop gets out vehicle and moves the beacon out the way in order for the
driver to proceed into a paraplegic parking! Shocking,” he said.
The post also drew criticism from Facebook users.
Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the SAPS KwaZulu-Natal
management condemned irresponsible and inconsiderate conduct by the police
officers.
“We embrace the rights of disabled persons and infringement of their
rights as alleged cannot be tolerated. We will investigate these serious
allegations of misconduct. We wish to unconditionally express our apology to
the citizens affected and reiterate that such alleged conduct is in breach of
police code of conduct.
“The public is encouraged to bring to the attention of the management
any similar unacceptable conduct by the members of the SAPS for corrective and
disciplinary measures to be instituted,” Naicker said.
Daily News
