A screenshot of video footage of the incident.
DURBAN - A Chatsworth metro police officer, who had fined a taxi driver for obstruction, was run over by the driver when he tried to evade the charges.
A metro police spokesperson, Superintendent Boysie Zungu, said the officer - Jonathan Moosamy - had issued the taxi driver with a fine for obstruction, but the driver had scrunched up the fine and thrown it at the officer.
“The officers were conducting enforcement in the Moorton area when they stopped the taxi. When the driver threw the fine out of the taxi, he fled but made a U-turn. He then intentionally rammed into the officer,” said Zungu.
“The crew fired one round at the vehicle and the driver brought the vehicle to a halt. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder,” he said.
Moonsamy’s dad, Les Moonsamy, said: “My son was discharged from hospital and is in a stable condition. However, he is in a lot of pain. I am thankful to God that Jonathan was not seriously injured. I saw the footage and am traumatised. My son is still in shock.”
Bashir Ismail, the public relations officer of the Chatsworth Taxi Association, said he was aware of the incident but was unable to comment as he was on sick leave and did not know the merits of the case. He referred media enquiries to the association's offices, but attempts to contact the chairperson proved futile.