Doctor claiming she was ‘late for work’ arrested for clocking 178km/h in Alberton

• The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) has defended its Speed Enforcement Team after they arrested a doctor, despite her telling them she was rushing to work.
• The 32-year-old woman was caught doing 178km/h in a 120km zone on the N12 at 06:45 on Saturday.
• The EMPD said the doctor's vehicle did not display a portable flashing device signalling that she was a doctor-on-call. 

A 32-year-old doctor rushing to work in her Mercedes-Benz was arrested for speeding by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police (EMPD) following a high-speed chase on Saturday morning.

She was one of three motorists caught by Speed Enforcement Unit members for driving over the stipulated speed limit in Alberton.

The EMPD said the uncooperative health practitioner was caught at 06:45 by officers monitoring the N12, which is zoned 120km/h.

She was driving at 178km/h in a black Mercedes-Benz sedan.

The Speed Enforcement Team had to call for back-up and gave chase, it added.

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"The furious lady offender stopped her Merc in the middle of a freeway and as she alighted, she was already fuming and taking video clips [using her cellphone] of officers without consent, violating their rights.

"The medical doctor, citing that she was late for work, was immediately handcuffed and marched to Alberton police station," said EMPD spokesperson Kobeli Mokheseng.

Asked what if she was rushing to save a life, Mokheseng added: "First of all, motor vehicles of doctors, whether private or subsidised, they must have a sticker on the front windscreen written 'doctor', they come in red and white colours. That vehicle did not have a sticker.

"Secondly, doctors on call will have either a red or amber portable flashing light. When we stopped that lady, there was none of the above.

"Thirdly, we all have what is known as warning lights or hazards in our vehicles, that in case of the emergency, you could apply those hazards warning other motorists that there is an emergency. None of the above happened."   

Meanwhile, metro police officers caught a 25-year-old driver of a Ford Ranger light delivery vehicle driving at 105km in a 70km/h on Swartkoppies Road between Vermouten and Hennie Alberts.

When stopped, the driver told them he and his female passenger were late for shopping.

The lawbreaker was escorted to the Brackendowns police station, Mokheseng said in a statement, adding both faced charges of reckless and negligent driving and were expected to appear in the Palmridge Magistrate's Court soon.

"We wish to indicate that, as the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department, we do allow members of the community/public to take pictures/photos or videos of our officers while performing their duties but there are procedures to follow and consensus is key," said Mokheseng.