GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - A pastor from Knysna, Zwelibanzi Ningi, is perturbed after his vehicle was pulled over and impounded in Wilderness in February this year.

Ningi says he was on his way from Knysna to George in his Mazda 5 when he stopped along the way to pick up people hiking next to the road. 

According to him, the passengers in his vehicle were non-paying passengers and he was simply being a Good Samaritan by giving them a lift to George. Ningi visits George weekly to visit family who live here.

After being pulled over as he entered Wilderness, Ningi says, he was falsely accused by a provincial traffic officer of transporting passengers without the correct licence. His vehicle was impounded and would only be released after he paid the R7 000 impoundment fee.

However, Jandre Bakker, head of communications for the Department of Transport and Public Works, says the officer became suspicious during inspection of the vehicle when he found three passengers all dressed in similar uniforms. 

"This led the officer to ask further questions and the passengers confirmed that they paid the driver of the vehicle for the trip from Wilderness to George. The vehicle was then impounded by the officers accordingly, as money was paid to the driver of the vehicle," he said.

Ningi paid the impoundment fee and then sought legal assistance from Francois van Zyl Attorneys in George.

"After many postponements and back and forth, the case was eventually struck from the roll as there was no translator appointed at that stage," said Van Zyl.

With the case struck from the roll and R7 000 out of pocket, Ningi went back to the provincial traffic offices to get reimbursed for his impoundment fee.

According to him he was then told that they would not be reimbursing him, but eventually, after correspondence from Van Zyl, Ningi was told that he would be reimbursed. This however, could take up to 90 days.

"The time frame is usually 90 days for the reimbursement to be processed, provided that all the required supporting documents are provided timeously. The 90-day period starts once all supporting documents have been submitted," said Bakker.

In response to an enquiry at the George Municipality, communications officer Athane Scholtz said the municipal court is a function of the department of justice and the municipality cannot comment on judicial matters, including court procedures or reasons why a case had been struck from the roll. 

The enquiry was referred to the relevant public prosecutor.

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