5FM DJ GARETH CLIFF ARRESTED FOR SPEEDING

Five FM radio jock Gareth Cliff was caught doing 182km/h on the freeway last night. The breakfast show host was rushing home from Durban after a long day in which he was participating in the preliminary judging process of the Idols music talent search programme. Cliff was arrested and taken to a holding cell, where he spent a few minutes before posting bail.

Driving his Range Rover Evoque, Cliff went over the freeway speed limit of 120km/h on the R21 near Lyttelton, east of Pretoria. All Evoque models can hit top speeds of at least 195km/h. In South Africa you can be fined money up to 179km/h on the freeway. Going over this speed calls for immediate arrest and a date with a local magistrate where a fine or a prison sentence can be meted out, or both, depending on the circumstances.

“Rumours of my imprisonment are greatly exaggerated” he Tweeted to his 245 000 odd Twitter fans. He then told EWN.co.za: “I’m not making excuses but I had a long day and I hit the speedometer, thinking I just want to get home. Then, the next thing, there were blue lights in my mirror.”

Of course Cliff isn’t the first nor the last famous South African to be fined for excessive speeding. In August 2009, his fellow 5FM jock DJ Fresh was caught doing 161km/h in a 120km/h zone while driving a Volkswagen Touareg. At the time he issued a statement saying: “I knew that my actions were wrong and therefore punishable by law. I was in my sound and sober senses at the time.” Thereafter he parted with a R5 000 admission of guilt fine.

Other famous convicted speedsters include current COPE president Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota, who was at the time Minister of Defence, for doing 180km/h on the freeway, DJ S’bu for the massive 257km/h in his sponsored Audi TT (Audi quickly took the car off him), Platinum Stars FC winger Thuso Phala who did 195km/h and others who may not have attracted media attention.