SA sweepstake: 20/1 on, dead woman will be blamed

[MajGenl.Meade]

5 Nov 2014 The Times (South Africa)
Zuma’s son ‘fled from death-crash scene’

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane (clue to eventual outcome right there) allegedly failed to help accident victims and fled the scene after his Porsche crashed into a minibus taxi, killing one person and injuring several. This is according to a passenger travelling in the taxi at the time of the crash, in which 30-year-old Phumzile Dube died, the Randburg Magistrate’s Court heard yesterday.

The court is to determine whether Zuma, 32, or taxi driver Jabulani Dlamini (guilty! guilty!) should be held criminally responsible for the accident on Johannesburg’s M1 south freeway in February. In a statement to the police, which was read out in court, Zuma admitted to losing control of his Porsche after hitting a puddle. He said he had difficulty seeing the road (reportedly a bit larger than a stake) because it was raining heavily.

“Visibility was bad … the vehicle lost control (Germans at fault) and I heard it hit something (man, visibility must have been real bad),” he said. Zuma said he phoned a friend to summon an ambulance. He said that he sustained rib injuries in the crash but did not see a doctor (He's got five years to file that lawsuit).

In a statement to the police that was also read out in court taxi passenger Matron Mdakane, 68, said she saw a Porsche speeding in the right-hand lane of the highway. The Porsche hit the back of the taxi, she said. “The driver of the Porsche ran away and came back with a security guard.”

Mdakane said she did not see Zuma help any of the injured.

[Lord Jim]

The driver of the Porsche ran away

Who does this guy think he is, Ted Kennedy?

[Big RR]

Sounds to me like he might have been drunk and fled to avoid testing. Kind of like Teddy.

[Joe Guy]

You both posTed the same thought...

[Big RR]

To be fair, I was posting re a possible DUI and then saw Jim's mention of Teddy before I posted.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Be fair - he went away but came back again. If he was DUI then coming back would have defeated any notion of hiding alcohol impairment. Not that I'm ruling out alcohol - just sayin'

A few years ago, Duduzane was involved in a serious accident in his black Jeep Cherokee when the steering wheel allegedly mysteriously locked and the car crashed into a business in Sandton.

Duduzane is known for his love of supercars. He has a Mercedes S-Class, Chrysler 300 C Hemi, a Audi Q7 and his first car, a VW Golf MK1. He also keeps superbikes in his museum-like garage.

Oh and apparently one of the injured people died three months later of "natural causes".





How'd he damage the taxi up to such a great height?

[MajGenl.Meade]

6 Nov 2014 The Times (South Africa) NOMAHLUBI JORDAAN

Zuma son’s alcohol level not tested after crash

A TRAFFIC officer refused to do a breathalyser test on Duduzane Zuma, the president’s son, after his Porsche crashed into a minibus taxi and caused a fatality. The collision, on Johannesburg’s M1 South highway in February, left 30-year-old Zimbabwean Phumzile Dube dead and several others injured.

The Randburg Magistrate’s Court is conducting an inquest to determine whether Zuma, 32, or taxi driver Jabulani Dlamini should be held criminally responsible for the accident. Zuma’s counsel, Gary Mazaham, yesterday said his client claimed he had asked Johannesburg Metro Police Department Warrant Officer Jeffrey Pogole to test his blood alcohol level, but Pogole had refused.

Pogole told the court he was not authorised to do the test and told Zuma to wait for his superior. Magistrate Lalita Chetty said Pogole’s evidence was “contemptuous” due to the many discrepancies in his version of events. He had earlier told the court it was not raining when he arrived at the scene, but later conceded that the road had been wet.

Zuma said he lost control of his car when it hit a puddle. Chetty told Pogole: “I can’t imagine how disappointed the family of the deceased is to hear your evidence.” Chetty also ordered Pogole to be present when she hands down judgment.

...but one can imagine how delighted Number One is to learn of a police officer who knows a Zuma when he sees one and who will fall on his own sword rather than risk finding out something that makes The First Citizen of the World (after Uncle Bob) angry.