Makhandlela faces drunken driving charge
Onalenna Kelebeile | Wednesday July 16, 2014 12:19
Makhandlela, who was the Ministry of Education and Skills Development’s deputy permanent secretary until his departure in 2010, pleaded not guilty to the charge at his brief appearance last Friday.
According to the charge sheet, the 56-year-old parliamentary hopeful was nabbed on June 28 along BDF road driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Police say a breath specimen collected from Makhandlela exceeded permissible limits.
“The alcohol content of the breath specimen collected from Makhandlela was 0.45/1000 against the permissible limit of 0.22/1000,” reads the charge sheet.
The veteran civil servant is expected to appear for mention on July 28.
Makhandlela left the civil service in 2010 after being forcibly retired, a piece of history that his political rivals in Selebi Phikwe West are now using to attack him in the run up to the elections. “I was merely used as a fall guy. It was simply a management strategy to divert attention from other problems and the focus was all on me,” Makhandlela told Mmegi recently.
“I had desired to retire in 2012 and venture into politics, but I was forced to retire in 2010. I challenged the decision in the courts of law and I lost the case on technicalities.”
Makhandlela also said he challenged the decision in court to prove to people that he was never at fault and that no reasons were advanced as to why forced retirement was imposed on him.
“I then carried on with my life. There was never controversy surrounding me. The whole thing was blown out of proportion by the media,” he said in the interview.