Cape Town - The City of Cape Town on Wednesday launched a traffic blitz in Nyanga to clamp down on errant sedan taxi operators as well as general lawlessness on the area’s roads.
JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security for the City of Cape Town said the operation was aimed at the “so-called amaphela sedan taxis”.
“Officers arrested one suspect for outstanding warrants and charges were laid against another for threatening an officer,” Smith said.
“Staff also impounded 21 taxis and issued 287 fines for various other offences including: 14 motor vehicles suspended for being unroadworthy, 27 for failure to wear safety belts, 41 unlicensed motor vehicles and 46 unlicensed drivers.
“One of the vehicles suspended for roadworthiness was caught on the road again an hour later, prompting officers to impound the vehicle.
Smith added: “This morning we saw taxi drivers openly flouting the law and defeating the ends of justice by diverting their vehicles over sidewalks to avoid traffic officers. This type of disrespect for the law needs to be addressed. Nyanga is experiencing complete traffic chaos with absolutely no respect for any form of traffic regulations and that is why we are planning a week-long clampdown in the area to restore some respect for the rule of law.”
One of the sedan taxis had last been licensed in 2013 and had no door panels, no handles and needed to be started with an exposed wire. It also had no roadworthy certificate.
In Mitchells Plain on Tuesday, the City’s Traffic Service joined the Metro Police for Operation Restore which saw officers impound seven taxis, issue 186 fines and arrest four suspects for outstanding warrants, fraud, providing false information, and reckless and negligent driving.
“We sounded the alarm when we launched Operation Throttle, focusing on public transport operators, so there really shouldn’t be any surprises within the sector. The residents of Cape Town deserve reliable but also safe public transport. They are parting with their hard-earned money to get from point A to B and the least the operators can do is ensure that their vehicles are up to scratch and properly licensed and that the drivers are fit to be behind the wheel,” Smith said.
“I will not settle for anything less and we will keep up our enforcement operations until we get the taxi industry to play ball and start obeying the rules.”
ANA