Cape Town - South African Breweries (SAB) has paid tribute to Deon Sampson, the courageous traffic officer who tragically lost his life while on duty, by unveiling a sculpture of his face as part of its campaign aimed at discouraging consumers from drinking and driving.
Sampson was fatally struck by a drunk taxi driver on August 7, 2020, at a roadblock on Spine Road in Khayelitsha. While assisting his colleagues with a licence check, he moved in front of the vehicle.
When the drunk driver, Luvo Mlandu, realised he was about to be arrested, he attempted to flee.
Sampson was dragged for several metres before Mlandu ran over him.
Four years later, SAB’s tribute not only honours Sampson’s sacrifice, but also emphasises the need for responsible behaviour on the roads.
SAB launched the Drive Sharp campaign to discourage drinking and driving among consumers, which includes the sculpture of Sampson using parts from car crash wreckages.
It also produced a documentary that delves into the affects of losing loved ones to drunk driving. Zoleka Lisa, SAB’s vice president of corporate affairs, said they aim to encourage consumers to make responsible choices for the safety of their families and communities.
“For us at SAB, responsibility is not just a short-term initiative but a longterm commitment. SAB Sharp is integrated into our business strategy and operations, reinforcing our mission to grow the beer category responsibly,” Lisa said.
Sampson’s widow, Lucian Sampson, shared that participating in the campaign was an emotional journey that brought back many feelings.
“But in a big way, it was an honour for us to do this, keeping Deon’s memory alive and his legacy to be celebrated this way.
“We can’t really put into words what we have experienced, it’s not about the fame but who Deon was as a person,” she said.
The couple were married for 19 years. “He wasn’t just a traffic officer, who he was in the public is who he was at home.”
In 2022, Mlandu was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for murder; five years’ imprisonment for two counts of attempted murder; and three years imprisonment for two counts of contravention of the National Road Traffic Act.
The sentences will run concurrently, and he was also banned from owning a gun. Lucian said the sentence may not alter the past, but it emphasises the need for stricter penalties for such crimes.
“Deon would refer to this as a slap on the wrist, 25 years for a life is short.
“But if you look at the bigger picture of the issue of drunken driving there has got to be more serious sentences passed,” she said.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus