In a video which has been doing its rounds on social media, Durban Metro officers could be seen sitting in their vehicle this morning (Wednesday), while beggars directed the heavy morning traffic in the rain.
The video was taken at the Havenside traffic lights, going onto the Higginson Highway in Chatsworth.
In the video, you can hear the person recording saying: “Metro police sit in their vehicle while paras direct traffic. That's what this country has come to.”
@visvinreddy #SAMA28 #trendingtiktok #ethekwini #tiktoksa #eff #trending #mkfollowmk #peoplesmandate #election2024 #ifp #stitch ♬ original sound - VisvinReddyOfficialPage
Visvin Reddy, the leader of African Democratic Change, shared the video with his followers, hoping to highlight the issue.
“It is clear there is no discipline within metro police. How can you sit in your vehicle and allow inexperienced beggars to control the traffic? It is your job, not anyone else's. They cannot allow those who are not trained to direct the traffic. It can lead to many issues if something happens," said Reddy.
He highlighted how this had become a norm in Durban when traffic lights did not work.
“It makes me angry that metro police officers are paid to do this job but instead of doing it, they prefer to sit and allow others to work just because they don't want to get wet. If they don’t want to do their job then they should give the opportunity to others who would like to become metro officers with dedication to serve society,” said Reddy.
He said he would raise the matter with the mayor and insisted that if civilians saw this happening, they should report the matter to the mayor's office or their councillors.
Colonel Boysie Zungu, metro police spokesperson, said they would investigate the matter.
“We are concerned by this behaviour and have noted the complaint presented to us by the public. We take the issue seriously and will start an investigation into the matter, where necessary steps will be taken to solve the matter,” said Zungu.