Ocean Basket ignoring road rules

I am an Inspector of Public Safety department at City of Mbombela. I received a complaint about an Ocean Basket delivery truck and Semi trailer obstructing the entry road behind Hazyview Junction mall. I followed up on the complaint at about 12:00 and found the vehicle blocking the road lane. I found them delivering from there. I found 3 unidentified persons at the scene. One wearing Ocean Basket shirt the other having a Digistics shirt and the other person came later with normal unbranded clothes. I approached them and informed them that the vehicle is causing obstruction and must be removed. The person with the Ocean basket shirt claimed he was the manager of Ocean basket Hazyview and that they were instructed by the manager of Junction mall to stop in the road and deliver from there. (I have photos of the vehicle and where it was parked on the roadway and audio recording of the discussions that followed. Mall security footage could also be available for the incident).

Then I instructed the (claimed) manager of Ocean Basket to move the vehicle out of the road to a place more appropriate for delivery, because vehicles had to cross a barrier line and drive facing oncoming traffic in order to pass the delivery truck and trailer.

The person in the grey Digistics shirt claimed to be the driver and told me I can do nothing as this was not a public road. I asked him what the definition of a public road was according to the National Road Traffic Act. He could not define it. I tried to explain the definition to him but the person with the Ocean Basket shirt started to vet agitated and told the (claimed driver) not to talk to me. He started to talk a lot and then said he is going to phone the mall manager.

In the meantime traffic was continually inconvenienced by this obstruction.

On speaking to the mall manager on the phone the Ocean Basket "manager" said: "There is a WHITE MAN who is a traffic officer.....

I found this in itself a ****** and offensive remark as there is no need to add colour to such statement as any police officer is defined by uniform and NOT skin colour!

In the meantime I again asked the vehicle to be removed and also for the licence of the driver, now claiming that they were two drivers and the other driver was the one who was driving at the time the vehicle was parked on the roadway. Another person with a brownish shirt arrived in the meantime said to be the other driver. No one admitted who was driving at the time nor produced there driver's licence.

The manager apparently sent the head of security at the mall. On arrival of the security the Ocean Basket manager now tried to turn the blame on me with accusations thet I were rude and that I didn't properly introduce myself to him. I told them I have recorded the discussions and before he said anything further that he must just remember that and he could be proved wrong by that. I also stated that nowhere in the ******** Procedure Act or the Road Traffic Act it is required for an officer of law in full uniform to first introduce himself before regulating traffic or enforce the law. A member of public do have the right to ask for an appointment card, especially if the officer in not in uniform but in this instance nobody did and I was dressed fully in uniform.

My first interaction was to ask why the vehicle was parked there and then instructed them that it must be removed immediately.

The mall security officer also stipulated that it was an offence according to road rules as well as mall rules to park on a public road causing obstruction.

By that time I have already started issuing a summons for the traffic offences. I also informed them that I would include a charge of failure to comply with the instructions of a police officer.

After about an hour from my arrival the vehicle was removed only after delivery was completed.

Since I haven't got the full information needed to complete the summons because I couldn't get clarification why exactly the driver was at the time, the company should provide me with that information according to the ******** Procedure Act and National Road Traffic Act.

I will need from you who was the actual driver at the time of offence and his ID number and residential address as well as his employer details in order for me to complete my documentation.

You assistance will be appreciated.,