I had the honour of being stopped by SAP in a "roadblock" yesterday afternoon on the R562 travelling from Noordwyk towards Blue Hills just before the R55 intersection. My car licence disc had expired but I had my new one as I had just been to the licensing department to renew it. I wasn't given an opportunity to show it but was asked for "coldrink" money by the policeman concerned.
I declined to assist him and called the Anti Corruption Hotline. His colleagues decided to get involved and with much shouting, finger pointing and gesticulating at me told me just to go. I refused to be intimidated despite their best efforts and explained that I was waiting for the Anti Corruption Unit who had promised to send a car immediately. I noted that none of the people doing the stopping carried any form of paperwork so I am not sure how they would have actually issued the fine they used as their bargaining tool.
In the 20 minutes I was parked on the side of the road they did not stop any other vehicles. When I was first stopped there was a car per person. None of them (6 in total on my side of the road) were wearing their name badges.
They realised I was not going anywhere and so decided to pack up their little scam and move to pastures green. When the Anti Corruption Unit contacted me I provided them with the licence plate number of their marked minibus and have been given the investigating officers details and promised that I would be given feedback. The Anti Corruption Unit were great and the call centre did call me back with progress on where their response vehicle was, etc.
My mother experienced a similar situation outside Leeukop Prison the day before, again with SAP and not Metro. When she refused to pay the coldrink money and asked to be given the promised R700 fine she was just waved off.
If everybody keeps the Anti Corruption number handy and reports any similar incidents we can collectively help stamp out this practice.
The number is 0800 203 712
