A Durban police officer is facing disciplinary action after being filmed driving a marked South African Police Service (SAPS) vehicle on the freeway—without a driver's door. The video, which has amassed over 270,000 views on TikTok, shows a Durban Central squad car cruising along despite its visibly unsafe condition.
According to SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker, the vehicle had been involved in a collision in Durban North, during which rescue teams were forced to remove the driver’s door to free a trapped female officer. Although the car remained drivable, standard police protocol requires damaged or unroadworthy vehicles to be transported, not driven.
Instead, another officer reportedly chose to drive the vehicle back to the station—an action now under scrutiny by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
“Not only did the officer endanger his own life, but he also brought the name and image of the South African Police Service into disrepute,” said SAPS provincial spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. “Although an escort vehicle with blue lights accompanied the car—which the video does not show—the fact remains that it should not have been driven in such an unroadworthy condition.”
Commissioner Mkhwanazi has since ordered internal disciplinary processes against all involved. “The officer who drove the vehicle, the member who issued that instruction, and anyone else part of the decision will be held accountable,” he said.
He stressed that the SAPS will not tolerate disregard for operational procedure.
“We shall never allow anyone to undo the positive impact that police have been making to create a safe and secure environment for all the people in KwaZulu-Natal.”
The incident has sparked widespread reaction online, with many questioning safety standards and decision-making within SAPS operations. Investigations into the officers' conduct are currently underway.