Getrude Makhafola

Getrude Makhafola

A friend in need is a friend indeed a motorist proved, albeit painfully so, yesterday.

First, his friend was caught clocking 224km on the N1 near Midrand in a Audi A3. He got a call at 3am yesterday from the friend, pleading that he bring bail money to Midrand police station.

But as he raced to the rescue with bail money in his pocket, police sprung into action and pulled him off as he approached the Olifantsfontein off-ramp on the same N1 highway.

He was very annoyed with himself when he discovered that he was doing 202km in his car, whose model is not known.

Now, he had to double the bail money. Instead of just R500 for the friend, he had to fork out another R500 for himself.

Metro police said yesterday that the Audi driver seemed "very distressed" by the ordeal.

The good friend was also not impressed that he had to wake up from his peaceful sleep at his home in the southern suburbs to go on a rescue mission that turned out to be expensive, said Metro police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

The two speeding buddies are now out on R500 bail each after the angry friend was forced to fork out a cool R1000.

The two now face a magistrate later this week and will be in the dock as friends. Or, will they still be afterwards?

Minnaar also said that 21 motorists were arrested for drunken driving in the city centre on Saturday night.

The speeding cronies were among 14 motorists arrested on the N1 at the Olifantsfontein off-ramp for speeding and drunken driving between 10pm and 4am yesterday.