Police act after taxi shooting
SAPS, JMPD conduct 'disruptive operation'.
In the wake of the taxi violence of the morning of 10 September, law enforcement agencies are taking serious action.
At 2.30pm the SAPS, the Flying Squad, K-9 Unit and Gauteng Traffic Department descended on Westgate’s busy underground taxi rank in what is known as a ‘disruptive operation’.
According to SAPS spokesperson Vincent Mashiteng the main aim of the operation is twofold – to show that no further violence will be tolerated and to increase visibility.
The rank was closed off and no taxis or passengers could leave before being searched thoroughly to look for weapons, drugs and other illegal contraband, as well as to check permits and licences. Passengers the Record spoke to were not happy about the delays until the events of the morning were explained to them.
The operation will continue throughout the night on all the major routes as SAPS and JMPD vehicles will stop and search as many taxis as possible.
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My question is what is Westgate doing about this problem? Since this rank was moved it has been nothing but problems, what about the shoppers and residential area who will protect us as we have to drive along Ontdekkers and around Westgate to get home. It’s time to start taking action against the taxi owners and taxi associations surely they cannot carry on getting away with this. Innocent people are being injured and are living in fear because of this lawlessness. Why did it take so long for the SAPS to react??