Dalphine Tagwireyi
When he tested positive for Covid-19 last week, taxi driver Mthokozisi Zithuli continued transporting school kids and local commuters in his taxi.
When the community of Bethal, Mpumalanga heard about the driver’s carelessness from his friend, they caught him and handed him over to the police on 1 June.
Now he will be forced to self isolate and spend six months behind bars after that.
In court, 22-year-old Mthokozisi said he needed money for medication and that he ensured that he was wearing both a mask and face shield and avoided any physical contact with his passengers.
“I asked the passenger seated in the front seat to place my money in the money compartment and I would always sanitize it after I collected the money. I needed money for medication and to feed my family,” he said.
“As the sole breadwinner I did not disclose my status to my employer as he would have told me to quarantine and hand over the taxi.”
Parents told Scrolla.Africa they were alarmed when they heard that Mthokozisi tested positive but continued carrying their kids to school.
Reatabile Msimanga said when her Grade R son showed flu symptoms she concluded that he had been infected.
“I rushed my son to Trichardt to get him tested on Tuesday and yesterday I got his results. He is negative, which is a huge relief but I am angered at the deception and exposing our kids to corona,” she said.
Mthokozisi pleaded guilty to the charge at the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and was sentenced to six months imprisonment.
He has been placed in isolation for 15 days before he will start his sentence.
