Constable David Mkhondo‚ the police officer who was racially abused by Vicki Momberg‚ hopes the prison term she was served will send a strong message to other racists.

He told the Sowetan newspaper: “It’s finally over. I feel relieved because it has taken long‚ but I’m happy that the criminal law system was fair.”

Momberg was on Wednesday sentenced to three years in prison‚ with a year suspended‚ by the Randburg Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg.

Mkhondo‚ who was present during the sentencing‚ told Sowetan he was slightly disturbed by Momberg’s demeanour during her sentencing.

He said she showed disregard to the severity of her offence and the hurt it caused.

The 30-year-old officer is meant to be paid a R100‚000 fine by Momberg‚ as per an order of the Equality Court‚ but she is challenging this order. Her application for leave to appeal the magistrate's court sentence will be heard on Wednesday.

In Thursday's Sowetan newspaper‚ Mkhondo said of Momberg: “This issue is no longer personal to me. I’ll meet with her and I’ll accept her apology if she apologises.”