Shots fired as 'riotous' taxi driver, passenger attack traffic cops in Cape Town

Traffic officers in Cape Town opened fire, wounding a suspect in the leg, when a taxi driver and his passenger “became riotous” and attacked them after being stopped for disobeying a red traffic light on Wednesday. 

The incident comes just hours after chaotic scenes in the CBD late on Tuesday when taxi operators clashed with police and law enforcement officers during a blockade in protest at having their vehicles impounded by the city. One traffic officer was injured when officers came under fire. Stun grenades were fired to disperse the crowd and several people were arrested. 

“Two city traffic officers conducted a routine traffic stop where a taxi disobeyed a red traffic light at the corner of Jan Smuts Drive and Govan Mbeki Road,” said safety and security MMC JP Smith about the incident on Wednesday. 

“While attempting to issue a fine, the driver and his passenger became riotous and started assaulting the officers. During the scuffle one of the officers fired two shots, wounding one of the attackers in the leg. Both suspects were detained at Philippi SAPS. The officers sustained some bruises and scratches during the altercation,” he added.

Western Cape's SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) provincial chair Mandla Hermanus said on SAfm that 1,000 taxis get impounded per month and 488 were repossessed this year within one financing institution.   

“The impact of these impoundments is huge to our operators,” said Hermanus.

Santaco accused police and traffic officials of “brutality” during the blockade on Tuesday in “a continuation of what appears to be their mission to get rid of the operation of taxis” in the city.

“It began with the introduction of unreasonable bylaws through which they impound vehicles for minor offences and they proudly boast of this. Unfortunately, commuters are yet again at the receiving end of government's discrimination towards our industry,” the organisation said in a series of posts on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Santaco's provincial executive committee planned to “meet all ground forces to decide how we will unreservedly respond to this racist discrimination towards our operations”.

Smith refuted allegations of brutality, saying 15 public transport vehicles were impounded on Tuesday, a traffic officer was attacked and the situation became volatile.

“Officers came under fire and responded using stun grenades and teargas ... The city will not be intimidated by those in the taxi industry who react violently to any attempts to enforce national legislation,” he added.

Urban mobility MMC Rob Quintas on Wednesday expressed disappointment that the provincial branch of Santaco had suspended its participation in the taxi task team citing the “increase and continuous impoundments of vehicles”, and second, “lack of progress on issues tabled”. 

The task team, comprising representatives from the provincial government and City of Cape Town, with industry leadership, was scheduled to meet on Monday. 

“While we hope that Santaco will return to the collaborative table, commuter safety is our core priority and we cannot bend on matters that directly compromise safety. The vast majority of impoundments are for driver behaviour that catches the attention of law enforcement officers, and only a small percentage for the absence of an operating licence.”

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