News24 – SAPA
Cape Town – Soapie actor Deon Coetzee on Wednesday appeared in the Bellville magistrate’s court as a sequel to his arrest in January on charges of drunken driving, reckless driving and failing to stop after a collision. He appeared before magistrate Clive Linden who postponed the case to January 28 next year for trial, at the request of prosecutor Chris de Jong. It is alleged Coetzee collided with a car near his home on January 30, in the Bellville suburb of Oakdale, and then sped away. It is alleged a witness gave chase and forced Coetzee to a halt near his home. De Jong told the court the case had been referred to the local directorate for public prosecutions who had given instructions that the prosecution proceed. At the request of defence attorney Keith Gess, the magistrate ordered that the hearing commence on January 28, and said any request on January 28 for a further postponement for investigation purposes would be refused. Until recently, Coetzee acted in the TV soapies 7de Laan and Egoli. Gess said Coetzee had recently been engaged for a TV programme in Johannesburg, where his presence would be required daily until next year. It would be inconvenient for Coetzee to have to communte to Cape Town for further court appearances, Gess said. Gess told the court the hearing had been scheduled for August, and that Coetzee was becoming increasingly concerned about the delays.