Windhoeker wants to sue Swakop traffic cops

A GROUP of friends from Windhoek are fuming after their weekend trip to Swakopmund was apparently spoiled by traffic police and a towing company, who they say unnecessarily damaged their vehicle while removing it from an unauthorised parking space.

The owner of the car, Anton Kuhlman, says he has laid a charge of malicious property damage against the authorities, and is also considering civil action. His car was apparently broken into by an employee of a local towing company, who then apparently released the handbrake and towed it into the street.”A friend of mine was visiting from Botswana and we decided to take him to Walvis Bay for the weekend.But on the way we decided to stop by my cousin’s place in Swakopmund,” Kuhlman related.His cousin was not at home, he said, and they parked their vehicle next door, “in front of the only place which seemed to be safe”.The men then took a stroll into town for breakfast, he said, and returned to the vehicle after meeting up with his cousin.”On our arrival, I noticed my vehicle was surrounded by two vehicles, one belonging to the municipal traffic department and the other a tow truck.My car had been forcefully opened and I discovered the (door handle), the weather strip, and the speaker board had all been damaged, and the door lock plastic cover had been removed,” he said.The towing chain used by the towing company was apparently fastened to his car’s rims, Kuhlman said, an act he said was unprofessional and damaged his rims, worth N$5 000.”Above all the traffic officer lied and denied ever opening the car despite there being proof and witnesses,” he said.”Her attitude was abusive and she did not listen to our side, and gave us a fine of N$150, then left.We were left with the car in that unsafe position in the middle of the road for seven hours, waiting for the Police investigation,” he said.Swakopmund’s Acting Traffic Manager, Herman Engelbrecht, when asked for comment yesterday, said he was aware of the incident, and said Kuhlman was welcome to try and take the traffic department to court.Engelbrecht acknowledged that the car had been forcefully opened, albeit “in a very professional manner” and with “absolutely no damage” to the vehicle.This had been done after all efforts to try and trace the owner of the car had failed, he said, and the towing company was legally allowed to do this under the Road Transportation Act.Engelbrecht said he suspected that the damage claimed by Kuhlman had already been present before their involvement.Kuhlman, Engelbrecht said, will also be held responsible for the cost of the towing vehicle used to tow his own car out of his cousin’s neighbour’s driveway.”I understand he’s threatened to sue, but he must go ahead,” Engelbrecht said yesterday, adding that there were witnesses who could confirm that no damage had been done to the vehicle and that nothing had been taken from the car.His car was apparently broken into by an employee of a local towing company, who then apparently released the handbrake and towed it into the street.”A friend of mine was visiting from Botswana and we decided to take him to Walvis Bay for the weekend.But on the way we decided to stop by my cousin’s place in Swakopmund,” Kuhlman related.His cousin was not at home, he said, and they parked their vehicle next door, “in front of the only place which seemed to be safe”.The men then took a stroll into town for breakfast, he said, and returned to the vehicle after meeting up with his cousin.”On our arrival, I noticed my vehicle was surrounded by two vehicles, one belonging to the municipal traffic department and the other a tow truck.My car had been forcefully opened and I discovered the (door handle), the weather strip, and the speaker board had all been damaged, and the door lock plastic cover had been removed,” he said.The towing chain used by the towing company was apparently fastened to his car’s rims, Kuhlman said, an act he said was unprofessional and damaged his rims, worth N$5 000.”Above all the traffic officer lied and denied ever opening the car despite there being proof and witnesses,” he said.”Her attitude was abusive and she did not listen to our side, and gave us a fine of N$150, then left.We were left with the car in that unsafe position in the middle of the road for seven hours, waiting for the Police investigation,” he said.Swakopmund’s Acting Traffic Manager, Herman Engelbrecht, when asked for comment yesterday, said he was aware of the incident, and said Kuhlman was welcome to try and take the traffic department to court.Engelbrecht acknowledged that the car had been forcefully opened, albeit “in a very professional manner” and with “absolutely no damage” to the vehicle.This had been done after all efforts to try and trace the owner of the car had failed, he said, and the towing company was legally allowed to do this under the Road Transportation Act.Engelbrecht said he suspected that the damage claimed by Kuhlman had already been present before their involvement.Kuhlman, Engelbrecht said, will also be held responsible for the cost of the towing vehicle used to tow his own car out of his cousin’s neighbour’s driveway.”I understand he’s threatened to sue, but he must go ahead,” Engelbrecht said yesterday, adding that there were witnesses who could confirm that no damage had been done to the vehicle and that nothing had been taken from the car.