A Grahamstown guest house owner is considering legal action after what she termed a “horrendous and rather scary” run-in with the well-known traffic officer Terence Bafo.
A Grahamstown guest house owner is considering legal action after what she termed a “horrendous and rather scary” run-in with the well-known traffic officer Terence Bafo.
Robyn James, owner of St Aidan's Guest House on the corner of Milner and Worcester streets, told Grocott's Mail Bafo had been aggressive when they crossed paths earlier this month. S
he said on 10 July, she had been talking on her cellphone while driving. She said she stopped just outside her guest house, less than 50 metres from where Bafo had flagged her down.
She claimed Bafo unfairly accused her of ignoring orders.
“He was screaming and shouting and not giving me a chance to talk to him calmly,” James said. She said Bafo was becoming increasingly abusive and she grew fearful, so when four of her employees standing at the gate had opened it, she went inside.
Ordered by Bafo to hand over her driver's licence, James said she had told him she would do so only after speaking to her legal representative.
She said she returned shortly after to hand Bafo her licence. However, Bafo had already summoned the police to arrest her.
James said Bafo had told the five officers who arrived that she had refused to stop, co-operate or hand over her license and had parked on the pavement facing oncoming traffic.
“He then wrote out a ticket for R200 for speaking on my cellphone and parking facing [oncoming]traffic,” James said.
James said she was currently seeking legal advice on the matter. Bafo declined to comment on the allegations.
