Speeding Vavi denies clocking 207km/h

288 05.10.2015 Zwelinzima Vavi seen briefly during his court apperance at Edenvale court for speeding. Picture:Nokuthula Mbatha

288 05.10.2015 Zwelinzima Vavi seen briefly during his court apperance at Edenvale court for speeding. Picture:Nokuthula Mbatha

Published Oct 6, 2015

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Johannesburg - Former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, accused of speeding, appeared calm while in the dock of the Edenvale Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

While sources say Vavi was driving at 207km/h on the R24 near Edenvale in Ekurhuleni on Sunday morning despite the speed limit of 120km, he took to Twitter to deny this, saying the reported speed was “a creation by the media”.

He posted: “Today I appeared in court accused of driving 182km/h in a 120km zone. The 207km is a creation of my media friends.”

He added in follow-up tweets: “Will appear again on 4 November – intend to make presentations to court – I obviously can’t comment now till all processes are concluded.”

According to a statement issued by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department spokesman Inspector Kobeli Mokheseng, six people were arrested for speeding in the Edenvale area on Sunday.

Mokheseng’s description of one of the speedsters matched Vavi’s speed and age.

He said: “Among the six detained, a|52-year-old male with a female passenger rushing to the OR Tambo International Airport in an Audi Q7 SUV, was caught doing 182km/h at 6.09am and others clocked between 161 and 180km/h.”

Earlier on Sunday, well placed sources confirmed that following Vavi’s arrest, he was later released on bail.

Vavi joins a long list of politicians and celebrities who have faced similar charges, among them EFF leader Julius Malema and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Malema was caught driving at 215km/h in his BMW X5 series in a 120km/h zone on the N1 in December 2003.

He was released on bail of R5 000 in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court.

In 2009, Ramaphosa, while the Shanduka Group executive chairman, was fined R3 000 after he was caught speeding in Midrand.

Ramaphosa, who was returning from an ANC meeting, was caught clocking 162km/h in a 120km/h zone.

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The Star

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