By Buziwe Nocuze
Criticism has poured in after Cape Town officials allegedly assaulted a taxi driver and damaged a taxi during a law enforcement operation in the CBD on Tuesday.
Tensions flared higher as political parties slammed the incident as racially charged, throwing fuel on the fire.
Taxi impoundments added to the fury, leaving drivers feeling unfairly singled out by the City’s crackdown.
As tempers flared, enraged taxi drivers allegedly assaulted a traffic officer, and a disturbing video of aggressive officials went viral on social media.
Mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, denied allegations of brutality by the enforcement agencies.
He said the impounding of 15 public transport vehicles led to a taxi blockage at the station desk taxi rank and its vicinity. Officers faced resistance and had to use stun grenades and teargas to disperse the crowd.
Some taxi drivers allegedly locked themselves inside a taxi and police officers broke into the vehicle, resulting in a window being broken and the taxi drivers being removed from the vehicle.
Smith said the City would not be intimidated by violent reactions from the taxi industry when enforcing national legislation.
ANC Western Cape provincial secretary Neville Delport condemned the City’s actions, deeming them a violation of basic human rights.
He accused the City of adopting a dictatorial approach similar to apartheid-era practices, particularly when dealing with matters affecting the poor and working class.
“The victims of the City’s reckless behaviour are people trying to make a daily living. Commuting from afar, they were left stranded, went home late, and this exposed them to crime,” Delport said.
EFF Cape Metro echoed the sentiment, condemning the “barbaric destruction of property” and the brutal force used against taxi operators.
In response to the uproar, the EFF announced plans to meet with taxi operators to discuss a way forward and express solidarity against the alleged injustice.
Pictured above: The City’s enforcement operations in Cape Town resulted in chaos, with allegations of assaults on an officer
Image source: Supplied
