A taxi driver has been charged with attempted murder after he tried to knock down a metro police officer who wanted to pull him over.
On Saturday, during a routine vehicle check in Milnerton, the 21-year-old minibus taxi driver from Joe Slovo Park was nabbed after he failed to stop and attempted to knock over the officer, said Yolanda Faro, metro police deputy chief.
Then, after a brief chase by police, the driver was arrested and charged with attempted murder and reckless and negligent driving. In addition, he was also fined for driving without a valid driver’s licence and ignoring a stop sign.
The suspect appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Faro warned that any attempt to attack police officials would not be tolerated.
The arrest came after weekend operations in which a total of 67 suspects were arrested, 654 traffic fines issued, 82 by-law offences were recorded and several drugs and fake cigarettes confiscated.
Also on Saturday, police nabbed 10 alleged drunk drivers at a roadblock in Phillipi East while another three people were arrested after they were found in possession of a packet of tik and three dagga “stoppe”.
Meanwhile, another 39 motorists were arrested for allegedly driving while being over the legal alcohol limit during routine patrols in various areas across the city which included the city centre, Atlantis, Simon’s Town and Muizenberg.
On Friday, the metro police camera response unit caught a minibus taxi meant to seat 14 passengers, carrying 37 passengers. After pulling the vehicle off on Plein and Roeland streets, officers also found the vehicle to be unroadworthy.
The minibus was impounded and the 44-year-old driver fined for overloading, driving without a licence, not having a PDP, having four smooth tyres and no left-side mirror. - Cape Argus