DOCUMENTS

"Xmas lock-up for Hell's taxi!" - Daily Sun

"Terrified passenger sent SMS to sangoma, asking to be saved from death wish driver..." - front page lead, December 24 2014

Daily Sun (December 24 2014) - THE taxi driver drove off like a man craving death.

He told terrified passengers they would DIE if it was their time.

BUT A DESPERATE PLEA TO THE ANCESTORS SAVED THEM FROM HELL'S TAXI!

Terrified passengers begged him in vain to drive carefully as he chatted and texted on his cellphone, overtaking on solid lines and almost crashing into big trucks.

The hell ride was on the N1 highway from Pretoria to Bloemfontein on Monday.

Lerato Matshai (24) told how her terror began soon after she boarded the taxi in Bosman, Gauteng and sat in the front seat.

"From the moment he put the key in the ignition he never drove like a professional driver. He took out his cellphone and started texting and chatting while driving fast.

"A truck nearly hit us as he overtook on a solid line!

"We warned him and asked him to reduce speed but he just increased the radio volume and continued to text on his cellphone," Lerato said.

Another passenger, who asked not to be named, said they feared for their lives.

But as a firm believer in the ancestors with a strong family inyanga, he knew he could get help from beyond the grave.

"I sent our sangoma an SMS asking for protection," he said. The sangoma replied with an SMS that brought assurance of a safe arrival.

It said: "You will arrive home. The ancestors are not that angry, but they see the driver's future is bleak. Say God's prayer in your heart right now."

And sure enough, it came in the form of traffic cops who bust the driver doing 141 km/h just outside Bloemfontein. When relieved passengers told them about the driver's mad behaviour he was bust on the spot.

A traffic cop took the wheel of the taxi and delivered the thankful passengers to a taxi rank.

Sergeant Ian Gaobepe said the 31-year-old driver was bust for exceeding the speed limit and reckless and negligent driving.

Free State roads and police MEC Butana Komphela condemned the incident.

"Furthermore, his minibus did not have a permit and we have impounded it," fumed Komphela.

) In another incident, a 34-year-old man was bust doing 222km/h in his Golf 7 GTi just before the taxi driver was caught.

He paid a R3 000 spot fine and will also appear in court soon, said Gaobepe.

) Since 1 December, 855 South Africans have been reported killed on Mzansi's roads.

See the Daily Sun's new website for more on this and other stories....

 

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 274 165 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 2nd Quarter 2014) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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