Charges of reckless driving have been withdrawn against the hero taxi driver who came to the aid of a 13-year-old girl by rushing her to hospital when she had 10 epileptic seizures in his van.
Arthur Williams, 39, from Mitchells Plain was fined R6500, but refused to pay after a doctor agreed he had saved the teen’s life, thanks to his actions.
One year and 13 court appearances later, Arthur emerged victorious from the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court after the charge against him was dropped and his fine scrapped.
In September 2018, Arthur had 12 other passengers in his taxi and was heading to Cape Town when he helped a woman and her daughter who had been suffering from fits.
He drove on the wrong side of the road as there was traffic on his way to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
Along Thornton Road in Athlone, a traffic cop stopped Arthur and requested his licence and permit, and ordered that an ambulance be called to take the child to hospital.
But sensing the emergency, Arthur left his van behind, flagged
down another taxi and sped to Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
At the time, Richard Coleman, the City’s Traffic Services spokesperson, confirmed Arthur was fined for driving on the wrong side of the road and being an inconsiderate driver.
The traffic cop later apologised to the child and her mother.
RECOVER: Meisie had seizures.
On Thursday, Arthur said that while he could easily have paid the fine, he fought the case on a matter of principle.
“After 13 court appearances, I also lost thousands of rands, due to not being able to work on those days, and I paid legal fees.
“I could have paid the fine, but it was the issue, the etiquette of that traffic cop and how he treated me that day,” says Arthur.
“The fact, is I was doing what any father would have done. He wanted me to abandon the child and let her wait for an ambulance.
“A letter from the doctor at Red Cross stated that due to my actions, I saved that child’s life that day and yet I was fined R6500.”
Arthur says after going public with the saga, traffic cops started harassing him: “They would stop me at each roadblock or when they see me on the road.”
Arthur’s lawyer, Advocate Shireen Williams, says she had fought until Wednesday still and the matter was only withdrawn after she threatened to take it to trial.
The City of Cape Town did not want to comment on the matter on Thursday.