Picture: Provincial Inspector (PI) Rendani Maluta/Supplied
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
4 November 2026 – The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Virginia Tlhapi said she regrets an incident where a traffic officer was run over to death by car in Rustenburg. Tlhapi said the traffic officer was on daily duty with his other colleagues when he tried to stop a bakkie that reportedly passed several stop signs on the Bophuthatswana Street towards Meriting, near R510 road.
“According to the information, the Provincial Inspector (PI) Rendani Maluta (41) tried to stop the vehicle that did not stop and hit him with the front right fender and driver fled at the scene. Other traffic officers chased the vehicle with the back-up of police and the suspect who was found drunk was arrested.
“The incident happened at around 10am on 3 November 2026. I visited the scene and I would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the Maluta family, friends and colleagues. It is regrettable that we have lost one of our own dedicated traffic officers as a result of reckless and drunk driver,” she said.
Tlhapi further said they are now ending the year in such bad news. She added that their numbers go down at the festive season, the time they need to be more visible on the road to save lives.
“We appreciate the swift response of his colleagues and the police to who apprehended the suspect. His arrest would not bring back Maluta, but justice must prevail.
“Once more, we implore road users to be responsible and drive sensibly, especially that the festive season has just begun. Maluta was a traffic officer at the Rustenburg Provincial Traffic Station as a Provincial Inspector with 14 years of service at the department,” said Tlhapi.
She said the details of the funeral will be announced in due course. Tlhapi said the suspect is expected to appear in Tlhabane Magistrate’s Court on 5 November, 2026.
