Africa-Press – South-Africa. Police say a Free State mayor’s driver was behind the wheel of one of the Ngwathe Local Municipality’s official vehicles when it struck a 26-year-old woman on a regional road earlier this month.
Julia Madam was declared dead at the scene of the incident on the R59 on Sunday, 21 May.
Madam had been travelling home from Bloemfontein.
The vehicle that struck her was “designated for use” by the Ngwathe municipality’s mayor, Victoria de Beer-Mthombeni, who is the ANC’s regional chairperson.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani said the mayor’s 49-year-old driver was driving the car at the time.
Rani said:
“A preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle belonged to the Ngwathe municipality, and that the driver of the vehicle was not the mayor of the municipality, but her driver, a 49-year-old man.”
Rani said a case of culpable homicide had been opened – and the driver had not yet been arrested.
“The docket will be taken to the Director of Public Prosecution for a decision, and the investigation continues,” said Rani.
De Beer-Mthombeni’s office confirmed that “an official vehicle designated for use by the executive mayor” was involved in an accident on the R59 on 21 May.
It said municipal officials were in “constant contact” with all affected parties, including Madam’s family.
The mayor’s office said in a statement on Monday:
“We are also offering support to the driver assigned to transport the mayor. The driver is traumatised by the unfortunate incident. We appeal to members of the public to allow the authorities space to investigate the matter to its conclusion.”
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