Dashcams, Corruption, and Theft

Do you guys remember when a traffic official tried to get bribe out of me? I do. And I also wrote all about it here. To make a long story short, I got tired of being asked for bribes, bought a dashcam, and then was asked for another bribe.

That kind of thing is, unfortunately, quite normal in South Africa. Since then, a kind lawyer and his firm have taken the case and have been continually escalating a formal complaint, which is now sitting directly with the minister of transportation.

But what makes the whole thing even more fun now is that a Facebook page has edited the original video I posted and re-posted it without any credit. And then it went viral. Just over 24 hours after they posted it, it has 700,000 views, over 2000 comments, and over 13,000 shares on Facebook. And the numbers are still rapidly growing.

Copyright Infringement South Africa
There are a lot of people in South Africa who like to watch dashcam footage, apparently.

The thing is though, they never asked for permission to use the video. They never talked to me at any point, nor did they give any sort of credit.

Because I’m an absolute raging a-hole, as all Canadians are, I sent this fine page, Intelligence Bureau SA, the following message filled with expletives and unreasonable demands:

Copyright Infringement South Africa
See? I’ll bet you’ll think twice before making a Canadian upset EVER again.

They read the message right away. Then promptly ignored me. So after about 15 minutes, I followed up, and this time I was REALLY angry:

Copyright Infringement South Africa
I’m sorry you, the reader, had to see me flip out like that.

Several hours later, still nothing. All I got was a middle finger saying they are FAR too important to pay attention to things like integrity and copyright.

So anyway, all you people who kept warning me about the rampant crime in South Africa (which I’ve written about here): after 3 happy and uneventful years, it finally happened. I’ve been robbed. Intellectual theft is still theft.

I’ve reported this to Facebook and am waiting to hear back. It makes me sad to think that something with so much public interest is going to be removed simply because somebody refused to give proper credit (even when asked), but like I said, Canadians have rage issues. I just hope I don’t have to fly off the handle like that again.

(But for real- using somebody else’s work for your own personal gain isn’t cool. People should really knock that crap off).

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About the Author

I’ve been many things. A university English instructor, a picker upper of dead bodies, a musician, and a sales guy. My work brought me and my family from Vancouver, Canada to Pretoria, South Africa in September 2016, and I’m still wondering how that happened. I started this blog mostly because my friends back in Canada kept asking me how things were in South Africa, and posting about my experiences seemed more efficient than repeating myself hundreds of times. Maple and Marula is a way for me to make sense of my new surroundings as an expat who has no idea what I’m doing.

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17 Comments

  1. I used to use a Dashcam (that swivelled) even in the USA. When stopped in a checkpoint, I would roll down my window and swivel the camera towards the officer. Fortunately, in 4+ years I’ve never had to use that tactic in S. Africa. The Western Cape is far better than where you are. Less crime, clean, respectful by all people, and the #1 Voted Best Police Force is in Groot Brakrivier is just around the corner from my home.

  2. You could put a sticker on the inside of your vehicle saying “Maple & Marula Blog” and get your credit that way 🙂

      1. It is indeed. And especially since they are part of the problem since they are supposed to be fighting corruption! How do they even justify that to themselves?

  3. Sorry this happened to you , it makes my blood boil just reading about it 🤬 .The “Intelligence “ bureau clearly isn’t too intelligent … no surprise though . I hope it’s all resolved to your satisfaction

  4. I enjoy your blog very much. I am a South African now resident in the UK and miss my homeland as much after 15 years as I did the day I left. I was looking forward seeing your impressions of when SA won the World Cup Rugby recently. Any chance of you writing about that event?

  5. So “Ya” in South African lingo is written as “Ja”. That’s truly how P-Town people would spell it. Your responses are far too polite (definitely Canadian) and I detest the word “crap” – in Canadian dictionaries I hear. However, for all the long-suffering you deserve an award – maybe the Jacaranda or Jakaranada medal. Now you’ll have to stay a further 3 years in P-Town to win your case. Constitutional Court here we come.

      1. No, it wouldn’t. I miss the country madly. Something my fellow Calgarians cannot comprehend on any level. I guess it’s a blood thing. Once it gets into your bloodstream, it’s terminal. Stay, so I have something wonderfully funny to read every now and then. It’s so much more invigorating than oil & gas, retrenchments, oil & gas retrenchments, teacher cut-backs, unemployment, East vs West …. all pertinent but nothing to make one smile.

  6. Sorrey,

    I just cringed watching this video. There’s a whole mix of emotions: your entitlement, arrogance, then passive-aggression awkwardly combined with antagonizing a corrupt police officer in a very direct manner, escalating the whole situation.

    I mean, what did you expect her to say: “So sorry Sir, I was being corrupt and abused my authority. Let me profusely apologise on camera for doing something that is ingrained in our society.”

    I mean, yeah, someone has to speak up but I just don’t get you. You’re already entitled but you’re also obviously BITTER how things (don’t work).

    Things don’t work in the same way with a country that has a working infrastructure and a country that is obviously working on a very different level. You know, CHECK YR PRIVILEGE!

    What do you want anyway? You admit yourself that you’ve won the lottery, and I have to scroll through your endless bragging and self-righteousness (ugh, so unlikable), but every time I check in, you are BUTTING HEADS with someone.

    ALL THE TIME. YOU CREATE TROUBLE FOR YOURSELF ALL THE TIME.

    Things will never work your way in a corrupt country because the balance of power is, by default, against you – and we’re not talking about a fair environment. It’s either you being hashtag blessed or having a bitchfit how country is corrupt and how you’re going to fight them all.

    Look Phil, people move to these “colder” countries because they want things to work and they want some sort of fairness and justice. People move to these sunnier countries if they are well-off, want to enjoy some sun, go on a vacation, or have enough money to tolerate this thing called corruption.

    This thing is called North–South divide.

    I don’t even think you’re wrong but tolerating a braggart who CONSTANTLY pushes his luck makes me so angry. What do you want? Justice?

    SPOILER ALERT: IT’S NOT FOUND IN CORRUPT COUNTRIES AND OVERNIGHT.

    Fight your battles, yes, but also, PICK YOUR GODDAMN BATTLES

    I worry if your ego is going to get you and your family killed because you pick FIGHTS ALL THE TIME. If things were peachy-keen and if they could be easily resolved by being “fair”, people wouldn’t leave in droves.

    What is wrong with you? WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?

    Also, Candians have rage issues? I am offended AF! Check yr privilege!

    1. My favourite part of your tirade is that even though I’m so unlikeable and offensive, you still waste your time reading and responding.

      You get angry when I defend South Africa. You also get angry when I call out the things that could be improved. There are people who can help you with your issues.

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