Jail blues for Teargas

MUSICIAN Nkosinathi Mdluli, who is the backbone of multi-award-winning hip-hop act Teargas, is languishing in a Mpumalanga jail.

Mdluli was arrested at the weekend for failing to produce his driver's licence and obstruction of justice.

Sowetan has learnt that Mdluli was driving in the Piet Retief CBD on his way to a gig when he was stopped by traffic officers, who were conducting a routine block patrol.

Mdluli was asked to produce his driver's licence. He allegedly tried to pull a fast one on the lawmen by claiming to be rushing to a show.

Like a bag of potatoes, he was bundled into a police van and taken to the Piet Retief police station.

Mpumalanga safety and security spokesman Joseph Mabuza confirmed Mdluli's arrest on Friday night.

"As the clampdown on traffic violations continues in Mpumalanga, a member of a well known hip-hop group was arrested (on Friday) in Piet Retief for failure to produce a driving licence and failure to comply with instructions from traffic officials," Mabuza said in a statement.

"The accused was initially ordered to stop but instead attempted to pull off, insisting that he was rushing to a scheduled show.

"A case was opened at the Piet Retief police station. The accused is expected to appear in court today."

Mabuza said his boss, MEC Vusi Shongwe, welcomed the musician's arrest.

"Artists, or any member of the public, are generally expected to be road safety ambassadors in order to assist the government in broadcasting road safety messages because many people look up to them," Mabuza said.

  • Meanwhile, the driver of a BMW sedan was arrested and detained at Ngodwana police Station for driving at 228 kmh in a 120kmh zone on Schoemansdal Road on the N4 toll route.

He was immediately charged with reckless and negligent driving.

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