The City of Cape Town is pursuing legal action after two law enforcement officers were taken hostage during a protest at the Cape Town Station Deck. The incident followed a series of altercations between City officials and taxi drivers on Tuesday.
The tensions began earlier in the day when a taxi driver was apprehended for allegedly driving unlawfully near the Langa turnoff on the N2 inbound. Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said the driver was pulled over for driving along the shoulder of the road.
Thereafter, a scuffle ensued. Video footage quickly spread on social media. Hours later, a similar incident occurred on the N2 outbound.
READ MORE: Call for calm as taxi drivers clash with traffic officers
The initial incident triggered protests, prompting scores of people to gather at the Cape Town Station Deck. Smith said protesters blocked roads and disrupted traffic. He attributed the “illegal gathering” to false claims regarding the death of the taxi driver involved in the initial incident.
“This misinformation resulted in unnecessary tensions in the CBD, seemingly involving some within the minibus industry, with an illegal gathering, the closure of roads and holding two of our Law Enforcement officers hostage,” said Smith.
He says the officers were later freed.
Smith confirmed on Wednesday that criminal charges had already been laid – so that police could investigate the hostage situation, as well as other related incidents that occurred. At this stage, it is not clear how many individuals would be charged or what the exact charges would be.
“The attacks on our staff and the general lawlessness we witnessed [on Tuesday] will not be tolerated… Our Safety and Security Investigations Unit is working closely with the South African Police to find those involved in the attacks on the N2 yesterday afternoon, but also holding two of our law enforcement officers against their will on the Station Deck,” Smith said.
Smith called on witnesses and others with information about the incidents to report to the South African Police Service or the City’s Public Emergency Communications Centre. He said the City’s anonymous tip-off line is also available.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape branch of the taxi association, SANTACO, said it is also in the process of pursuing further action. Spokesperson, Makhosandile Tumana, said the association condemned the officer’s brutality and called for calm.
“SANTACO Western Cape remains committed to fostering compliance and safe driving within the industry. However, the ongoing victimisation of our drivers severely undermines efforts to build cooperation between the taxi sector and government. We urge our members to remain calm and obey all laws, while we pursue this matter through the appropriate channels,” said Tumana.
