Traffic officer, police constable allegedly assaulted by taxi driver

A taxi driver was arrested after he and his sliding door operator allegedly assaulted a traffic officer and a police constable on Thursday.

The traffic officer was in the process of impounding the taxi in Cape Town when the alleged assault took place. The traffic officer then called for backup from SAPS, but the 19-year-old taxi driver and an accomplice who “operates the sliding door” allegedly continued their assault by taking on a constable who arrived to help.

“I can confirm that it did happen. Officers were not seriously injured and SAPS is busy investigating,” said traffic spokesperson Maxine Bezuidenhout.

“They were in the process of impounding the minibus taxi when the driver of the minibus as well as the sliding door operator attacked the two officers,” she said.

She said that the taxi driver was arrested, but that his accomplice managed to escape. 

“Member of the public assisted the officers. The driver was arrested but the sliding door operator ran and got into another taxi.”

SAPS spokesperson Mihlali Majikela said members of the public had assisted in helping the officers make the arrest.

“Members attached to Milnerton SAPS registered a case of assaulting a police official following an incident that occurred yesterday [Thursday] at about 5.30pm on Plattekloof Road,” he said.

“A member of Table View SAPS was driving by when she witnessed the suspect attacking the traffic officer and stopped to give assistance. However, the suspect proceeded to attack the member and he was subsequently arrested,” he said.

The suspect is expected to appear in Cape Town magistrate’s court on Monday.