Angelique Serrao
JOHANNESBURG: A local man was surprised to discover that a motorist who had caused damages amounting to thousands of rand to his car and quickly drove off was in fact a prominent councillor in the city.
DA councillor Victor Penning was caught on camera last week allegedly bumping another car, then driving off without leaving his personal details.
Mohammed Ismail was in his office in Newtown when car guards alerted him that his Mercedes-Benz C class had just been damaged.
“The car guards told me they shouted and tried to stop the car, but he drove off quite fast down the road,” Ismail said.
He then drove around the area trying to find the bakkie that had bumped his car without success. When he returned, he found video footage which shows the large vehicle bumping his car as it reverses out of a parking lot.
But the man cannot be seen and there were no number plates on the footage.
Lucky Ngododo, a security expert in the building where Ismail works, went to other buildings in the vicinity to see if he could trace the owner of the car.
At the DA’s offices, he saw Penning had signed out just before the accident. Staff there said they believed it was Penning’s car when they saw the video.
“I called Penning and told him he had bumped my car. He denied it. He said there was nobody behind him when he reversed,” said Ismail.
Angry that a councillor was denying what he did, Ismail contacted deputy chief whip Given Mogane and sent him the video of the accident. Once his boss contacted him, Penning immediately admitted to the accident, said Ismail. Damage to his car is estimated at R29 000.
Penning told The Star he had not been aware that he bumped the car and that is why he drove off.
“Several cars were parked in an area where those parked took up half of the north-south lane.
“On being contacted by the owner of the alleged bumped car, I supplied all of my details required. My insurers are handling the claim once verified,” he said.