A woman is receiving antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) after the Msunduzi mayor's bodyguard spat in her face during a confrontation on the N3 in KwaZulu-Natal, Beeld reported on Thursday.According to the report, Camperdown police had opened a case of intimidation and crimen injuria after Kathleen Drummond was allegedly harassed, forced to the side of the road and spat on twice.
The incident occurred on March 18 near the Umbumbulu off-ramp on the N3 and allegedly involved two bodyguards attached to mayor Zanele Hlatshwayo's VIP protection unit.
Drummond reportedly had to take ARVs on her doctor's instructions after the saliva of one of Hlatshwayo's bodyguards landed in her eye.
Beeld's sister newspaper, the Witness, reported that the incident had been kept under wraps by the African National Congress for fear that it might spark another public outcry ahead of the April 22 elections.
Drummond said she was driving towards Durban at around 5pm when a vehicle with a blue light flashed at her to move into the slow lane.
She was overtaking trucks at that stage.
"After moving to the slow lane the driver of the black Golf cut in front and stopped in the emergency lane.
"Another vehicle flashing a blue light signalled me to pull over. When a car with a police light stops me, I always stop," she said.
She said a man told her to open her window and tried to pull it down after she refused to open it.
"He then leaned towards my window and spat at me and his saliva landed in my eye. He spat again, but the second one landed on the window. After he spat at me and I refused to open the window, they left," she said.
Municipality spokeswoman Ntobeko Ngcobo confirmed that the two bodyguards were on their way to pick up Hlatshwayo from the airport.
"These are the employees of [the] municipality, therefore we are looking into the matter."
Source : Sapa /sg/gj
Date : 02 Apr 2009 08:16
