Sometimes you have to scratch your head in wonder at our crime and punishment system.
Park on a yellow line or on a pavement in the city and you’ll get an ugly pink ticket for R500 stuck to your window.
But if you’re a taxi driver, and you are caught with 38 school children in your 16-seater minibus, you’ll also be fined R500 - for overloading.
True story. This actually happened in Heideveld a fortnight ago.
To make matters worse, the 21-year-old driver didn’t even have a licence (which, by the way, he got another R500 for).
RAPE SUSPECT: Zamaine Wearley. Photo: Jack Lestrade
It’s outrageous enough that an unlicensed driver can be employed and entrusted to transport a classroom load of kids in one Toyota Quantum.
But then to fine him R500 for putting so many young lives at risk?
No, instead of gloating about catching the padvark and writing him a ticket, SAPS should lock him up. And arrest his boss too.
R500. What a joke.
Incidentally, R500 was also the amount set for bail for alleged child rapist Zamaine Waverley.
The 19-year-old had been arrested for molesting his late girlfriend’s two children.
Residents were understandably up in arms after the suspect was spotted back in the Tafelsig community.
Now the eight-year-old and 11-year-old brother and sister and their family are too scared to be in the area.
And there are calls for Wearley’s re-arrest for breaking his bail conditions.
What’s going on in our courts?
Just this week, a magistrate at the Goodwood court was busted for using his cellphone while court was in session.
Magistrate Sean Lea was piemped by a court-goer who described him as irritable, unprofessional and disrespectful.
Now he’s in trouble with the ethics committee of the magistrates’ commission.
With so many villains listed above, we need to squeeze in a hero somewhere.
So let’s give it up for Ridwaan Nero, who won the “Officer of the Year” prize at the City’s Auxiliary Law Enforcement Service.
The volunteer cop was honoured for numerous arrests which include drugs, firearms, dangerous weapons, assault and recovering hijacked vehicles, to name a few.
He also assisted on many accident scenes.
For his efforts, “Nero the hero” said: “I love what I do and it makes me feel good doing good.”
Respect.