Durban motorist fined R500 for reversing into parking bay

21 July 2022 - 15:21
By Nivashni Nair
Lovangavasan Rajagopaul was fined R500 for parking his car facing the road.
Image: Supplied Lovangavasan Rajagopaul was fined R500 for parking his car facing the road.

A pensioner was “shocked” when he was fined R500 for reversing into a parking bay outside Addington Hospital on the Durban beachfront on Wednesday.

Lovangavasan Rajagopaul, 62, told SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE on Wednesday he was confused by the fine.

“I reversed into the parking bay so the car guard had a better view as batteries are often stolen in this area. I was a patient in the hospital and whenever I go there, I feel stressed because I worry that my car would be broken into or stolen,” he said.  

Rajagopaul said his parked car did not impact on the flow of traffic.

However, the Durban metro police officer who issued the fine did not agree. The fine states the offence was that his vehicle was facing oncoming traffic.

“I was not parked illegally. I am really stressed about this fine,” said Rajagopaul.

Lovangavasan Rajagopaul was fined for 'vehicle parked facing oncoming traffic'.
Image: supplied Lovangavasan Rajagopaul was fined for 'vehicle parked facing oncoming traffic'.

Durban metro police spokesperson Boysie Zungu told TimesLIVE an internal investigation would be conducted.

“If the result of the internal investigation shows that there was something wrong on the charge, the charge will be withdrawn. But for us to start the investigation, the complainant needs to come to our office to fill in a complainant yellow form where he will explain his side of the story.

“That’s all I can say at this stage because we need to hear both sides of the story,” he said.

Rajagopaul said he would lay the complaint.

TimesLIVE