The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has welcomed a decision by the Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services to institute disciplinary action against officers who recorded themselves doing the famous Idibala dance while driving.
In the video that went viral last month, two officers are seen dancing in full uniform and not wearing their safety belts.
RTMC said the officers were given a warning following a disciplinary hearing conducted by the Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services.
“Emergency medical personnel routinely respond to road crashes and should, therefore, understand the danger of distracted driving and failure to use safety belts,” RTMC said
Section 26, paragraph 3(h) of Emergency Medical Services Regulation of 2017 require emergency medical services to “promote safe driving techniques, as well as awareness of defensive driving techniques”.
The regulations expressly forbid behaviour “that may reasonably be considered to be bringing the industry into disrepute”.
“We hope that this sanction will send a strong message to all other public officials to desist from behaviour that compromises safety while driving official State vehicles”.
“The conduct displayed by the two officers is consistent with behaviour that has become known as distracted driving. This includes texting and taking selfies while driving, which are among the major contributing factors to crashes on South African roads,” RTMC said.
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