Gangsters demand protection money

COMMUTER FEAR: In a worrying new trend, gangsters pose as passengers and hold their victims at knifepoint or gunpoint along the route and at taxi ranks. Picture: Jason Boud

COMMUTER FEAR: In a worrying new trend, gangsters pose as passengers and hold their victims at knifepoint or gunpoint along the route and at taxi ranks. Picture: Jason Boud

Published Nov 23, 2014

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Cape Town -

Gangsters are holding taxi drivers to ransom with demands of “protection fees” to prevent their passengers being robbed on some of the city’s busiest routes.

An increase in robberies and attacks against taxi drivers and commuters as the festive season approaches is a consequence of the drivers’ refusal to give in to gangsters’ demands, said Henry Williams, Western Cape general secretary of the South African National Taxi Association (Santaco).

However, the robbery spree has gone unnoticed by authorities, as many drivers refuse to report the robberies to police out of fear of reprisal from the gangs.

 

“Gangs have been going to the taxi industry for years but it always becomes worse during the festive season. It’s our busiest time of the year and also the best time for criminals to strike.”

The gangsters pose as passengers and hold their victims at knifepoint or gunpoint along the route and at taxi ranks.

The sprawling network of passageways and corridors in many of the Cape Flats residential areas give robbers quick and easy getaway routes.

One Mitchells Plain taxi driver said his colleagues knew the identity of many of the gangsters but refused to report the incidents to the police in Mitchells Plain. Some of the robbers are said to be members of the Yakkies and Americans gangs.

The two gangs are battling over turf and turned their attention to the local taxi industry to expand their territory.

 

On Wednesday, the Manenberg Gangwatch Facebook page reported members of a gang pulling over taxis at an intersection and robbing passengers before police arrived and arrested the suspects.

Some residents say gangs have charged pedestrians who cross their turf a “protection fee”.

Police said they had no evidence of taxi drivers being extorted.

“We have no statistics to support that protection money is demanded from taxis drivers and or owners. We encourage affected parties to report this to police so that an investigation can be conducted,” a spokesman said.

Siphesihle Dube, spokesman for the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, said the department had received complaints about criminals extorting taxi drivers in the past, but their refusal to report the robberies made it difficult to investigate.

A Santaco official, said extortion was an easy way for the gangs to make money.

“The gangs do nothing but sit back wait for their money to come in. If a driver or owner refuses to pay, they just rob the taxi once or twice and the driver will pay to save his business.”

Hanover Park taxi driver Mogamat Yusuf Naidoo said commuters were scared to use taxis and his business had suffered.

 

“People don’t trust taxis anymore because of the gang violence and robberies. They would rather pay extra for buses than risk being robbed in a taxi. It means less business for us and less money for commuters to spend on essentials. It’s a losing battle for everyone.”

- Sunday Argus

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