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The ongoing taxi strike in Cape Town continues to incite violence and terror in the city’s CBD.

With bullets flying earlier this week due to new impound laws, South Africans have watched in terror as footage surfaces online of the madness.

And it’s not just the taxi drivers who are bringing the violence. A viral clip came to light yesterday of South African Police Service (SAPS) officers beating the crap out of a taxi driver who had been pulled from his van.

In addition to this careless bust-up, things are getting more deadly as a bus driver in Khayelitsha has reportedly been shot and killed this morning by a taxi striker. Despite this sad fatality, government officials are pushing buses to still run at 90% capacity. The bus drivers are simply encouraged to avoid the most dangerous roads. Um, what? Didn’t a colleague just get shot?

While we can all agree that the minibus peeps have a reputation for stirring up disorder, the viral video of cops going HAM on a taxi driver proves that SAPS also have no shame when it comes to pushing back.

It’s hard not to feel sorry for the dude as he tries to shake off the group of cops who are hammering him.

Taxi drivers caused violence in Cape Town earlier. In this video, they met their match SAPS and Metro… pic.twitter.com/vEXdnWN4Fl

— Vehicle Trackers (@VehicleTrackerz) August 1, 2023

Parliament transport committee chairperson Mina Lesoma has responded to the viral clip with clear disgust, calling for the SAPS members caught on camera to be held accountable.

Lesoma brings attention to the issue that these are government workers who have certain mandates around keeping the peace. Needless to say, this mandate does not include donnering civilians.

“This is an unfortunate incident and those responsible should be held to account in the same way SAPS assigned to the deputy president are. There is enforcement of law, but the behaviour in the video borders on disrespect and abuse of positions,” Lesoma said.

While Lesoma makes a good point, MMC for security and safety JP Smith stays adamant that due to the situation, force was required from SAPS:

“The situation became more volatile following an assault on a traffic officer. Officers came under fire and responded using stun grenades and teargas.”

Eish, the whole thing continues to put Cape Town on edge as we wait to see how taxi drivers and Cape Town officials come to some agreement regarding the new impound policies.

Do you reckon the driver got what was coming to him? Or should SAPS be put in the proverbial ‘naughty corner’ for their response?

[source:timeslive&thecitizen]