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Police arrested South African opposition politician Julius Malema for driving almost twice the speed limit on a highway near Johannesburg Thursday, a spokeswoman said.
Authorities detained the young firebrand while speeding in a BMW 5-series sedan on main highway the N1 in Vanderbijlpark near Johannesburg, according to provincial traffic police spokeswoman Busaphi Nxumalo.
“He was caught driving at 215 kilometres (134 miles) an hour in an area of a general speed limit of 120 kilometres (75 miles) an hour,” she told AFP.
“He has been arrested, he has been charged with reckless and negligent driving plus exceeding the general speed limit,” she added.
It was unclear whether the 32-year-old would spend the night in jail.
He is due in court on Friday.
The expelled chief of the ruling ANC’s youth wing, now a prominent opposition leader, also faces charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering, arising from allegations that he arranged lucrative government contracts for cronies in return for kickbacks.
A one-time staunch supporter of President Jacob Zuma, Malema has maintained that his prosecution is a political ploy to silence his relentless criticism of Zuma’s leadership.