The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in the Western Cape has urged minibus taxi operators to remain calm after two confrontations between traffic officers and taxi drivers led to protests and a tense standoff in Cape Town’s central business district.
SANTACO peaks out about two clashes with police
The incidents, which occurred on Tuesday, were captured in viral videos, intensifying public scrutiny over law enforcement’s handling of taxi-related offences.
The first altercation took place on the N2 inbound near Langa in the morning, where a taxi driver was apprehended by traffic officers for driving in the yellow lane.
A widely circulated video shows an officer using a chokehold on the driver, who was already handcuffed.
This led to a protest by a large group of taxi operators at the Cape Town station deck, disrupting transport services for several hours.
Later that afternoon, another video surfaced showing a different taxi driver being forcibly removed from his vehicle by officers on the N2 outbound.
SANTACO provincial spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana accused the City of Cape Town of unfairly targeting black taxi drivers, calling the incidents racially motivated.
Tumana also demanded action against the officers involved and reassured members that the council would pursue the matter through official channels.
Tensions rise as protest leads to hostage situation
As tensions escalated, a group of taxi drivers gathered at the Cape Town station deck in what authorities described as an illegal protest.
According to City of Cape Town Safety and Security MMC JP Smith, two law enforcement officers were briefly held hostage by protesters before being freed.
Roads in the area were closed as a precaution, and police were deployed to prevent further unrest.
Smith defended the actions of traffic officers, stating that the first taxi driver had resisted arrest and had an outstanding warrant of nearly R3,000.
He insisted that the chokehold used in the video was a necessary restraint under the Criminal Procedure Act and denied allegations of misconduct.
Smith also dismissed speculation that the driver had died from the altercation, revealing that the individual was alive and had laid charges against the officers involved.
Following the protest at the station deck, taxi drivers relocated their demonstration to the Athlone police station, demanding the release of the arrested driver.
Law enforcement maintained that due process would be followed, and the driver would not be released outside legal procedures.
“We are lawfully compelled to act against offences in the ‘national’ traffic regulations. We shall continue to do so, without fear or favour,” Smith said.
SANTACO has since urged its members to avoid further conflict and adhere to the law while it engages with authorities over the incidents.
