Tension boils over after Cape Town traffic officer shoots taxi driver in wake of new municipal by-law

2 Aug 2023

Tension between City of Cape Town officials and taxi operators soared after a taxi driver was shot by a traffic official on Wednesday.

A taxi driver was injured after being shot in the leg by a City of Cape Town traffic officer during a scuffle on Wednesday as tension between the two parties reached boiling point.

The incident happened a day after Cape Town taxi operators clashed with City of Cape Town traffic officials and other law enforcement officers on Tuesday afternoon, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Stun grenades, tear gas and gridlock hit Cape Town in taxi clash with officials

According to the mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, just before 9am, two traffic officers conducted a routine stop after a taxi disobeyed a red traffic light at the corner of Jan Smuts Drive and Govan Mbeki Road in Philippi.

“While attempting to issue a fine, the driver and his passenger became riotous and started assaulting the officers,” Smith said.

“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.”

Smith accused taxi operators of using intimidation tactics, which he claimed were well documented, “with numerous examples over the years of staff being attacked in retaliation to operations”.

“I have said it before and will reiterate it once more — we will not bow to intimidation by anyone who thinks that they have a right to break the law and not face the consequences.”

Nceba Enge, South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) spokesperson in the Western Cape, denied Smith’s version of events and said the wounded driver, who belongs to the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta), was complying with the directions from the officers when they attacked him.

“They asked him to produce his driver’s licence and while he was taking it out, one officer slapped him. He retaliated and the other officer took out a firearm and shot at him.”

Enge said the driver hadn’t opened a case yet as he was still in hospital.

Disputed by-laws

Fifteen minibus taxis were impounded on Tuesday afternoon by city officials around the CBD.

Tension between the City of Cape Town and taxi operators has been simmering over a new by-law that gives power to the municipality to impound vehicles rather than fining drivers for offences such as not displaying registration plates, being unlicensed, overloading and the failure to stop when instructed to do so by an officer.

There were no major incidents reported on Wednesday morning, but there were a number of traffic officials, metro police and Public Order Police on the roads and at the Cape Town taxi rank.

Santaco chairperson Mandla Hermanus said 488 taxi operators have had their vehicles repossessed in the last 12 months as a result of the impoundments.

“As Santaco we condemn all acts of violation by drivers,” he said.

“We also condemn in the strongest terms the behaviour of law enforcement officers who acted like gangsters and beat up drivers and broke windows of one of the taxis. The brazen thuggery was captured on video. We are yet to hear the City of Cape Town condemn these acts of criminality by their own officers.”

Hermanus said they were not surprised that the city had failed to condemn its violent officers and that Smith’s plan was not a pragmatic and considered attempt to make the roads safe and ensure efficient public transport.

“There is no consideration from him for the impact of his actions on the broader society. He is consumed with his own sense of power and privilege and a deep-seated hatred for the taxi industry, which he often brands as thugs, mafia, criminals, etc.”

There are already signs of possible strike action by the taxi industry in the province.

A meeting of all the primary taxi associations is scheduled to take place on Thursday morning in Khayelitsha. Hermanus said the aim of the meeting was to come up with a plan of action following the incidents that took place this week.

“We will continue to voice and demonstrate our unhappiness with the approach that the City of Cape Town has taken in dealing with the industry,” he said. DM

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Disputed by-laws