Almost 90 arrests made during operations in Phillipi

Oscar Thomas
17 March 2015

Nearly ninety arrests were made following an operation by the City of Cape Town’s enforcement agencies in Philippi over the weekend.

City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said Metro Police is facing an uphill battle in enforcing the law in Philippi as numerous police are threatened and attacked during a taxi operation in the area.

Ninety vehicles were impounded and twenty-three traffic fines were issued during the operation.

Smith said the blatant attacks on the State cannot be tolerated. 

Smith said one officer was surrounded with approximately 20 people who mobbed him while he was driving an impounded vehicle they assaulted him and tried grabbing his firearm. Members of the police in the area fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.

Smith said an hour later two metro police vehicles were also damaged by a crowd standing at an intersection.

Smith said the metro polices tactical response unit was dispatched and they in turn had sticks and stones thrown at them before firing two rubber rounds into the crowd.

“Later the evening a metro police officer leaving the departments Philippi depot being gun pointed by an unknown man” Smith added.