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.
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