The City of Cape Town has laid charges after two law enforcement officers were taken hostage during a protest at the Cape Town Station Deck on Tuesday.
On Tuesday morning, a taxi driver was
apprehended for allegedly driving unlawfully on the N2 inbound near the Langa
turnoff. 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. Hours later, a similar incident occurred on the N2 outbound. 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,” said Smith.
PICTURE: Facebook - JP SmithMeanwhile,
taxi association, SANTACO, in the Western Cape 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.’’
Done By: Mitchum George
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