Woman could face defamation charges over viral metro cop complaint

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Cape Town - The City of Cape Town is pressing charges against a Kensington woman after she shared videos on social media of an altercation she had with Metro cops over her car lights.

Zuraan Jacobs, 32, took to social media slamming officers for “harassing” her and a female friend while driving home late on Monday, 27 November, in their posh Range Rover Evoque. The post, which includes videos of the officers, went viral and were shared more than 12 000 times, but has subsequently been removed from Facebook. Zuraan claims the officers, Constable Jas and Sergeant Mendu, wanted her to pull over on a bridge in Third Avenue but she drove to a garage in Fifth Avenue where she felt safe. She posted: “I did nothing wrong, but this officer pulled me over for what he claims my brake lights aren’t working prior to me taking these videos... he then changed his story from my brake lights weren’t working to my rear lights aren’t working." Zuraan Jacobs, 32, of Kensington made videos of police pulling over her Range Rover. Picture: Screengrab

“Clearly my brake lights and rear lights were working, see video. He insisted on giving me a fine of which I was forced to accept the fine, else he wouldn’t let me go." “After he wrote me the fine, he then forced me to take a breathalyser test on the spot, which I refused as I did not have one ounce of alcohol. At the end of this ordeal, bystanders who came up told him that he’s harassing me and that he should stop.

“He refused and then threatened to lock the man up who was a witness.”

In the videos shared by Zuraan, she argues with the officers, demanding to see the officers’ badge numbers, or she wouldn’t cooperate.

However, City Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says Zuraan was stubborn from the get-go.

He says the cops were on patrol along Voortrekker Road when they were overtaken by a vehicle on the left side of a single lane and that raised suspicion.

“The driver at no time cooperated with the officers, arguing instead and refusing to submit to a breathalyser test before producing her cellphone and recording the clips that have since been shared far and wide, along with her version of events,” said Smith.

“The officers were calm and respectful throughout, despite being provoked by the motorist. When the officers called for a female officer to come and assist with the breathalyser test, the driver fled the scene and left behind the fine as well as her driver’s licence.”

Zuraan, however, claims she left because her daughter was waiting for her at home.

Her licence was returned to her last week and she has laid harassment charges against the officer.

Smith says she was fined for defective lights or failure to switch them on.

“We are pressing charges because she fled the scene. The officer is also filing an affidavit following the videos on Facebook and she could face crimen injuria and defamation charges,” said Smith.

Zuraan says she removed the videos because she felt “overwhelmed by the attention”.

Daily Voice