Cape Town - Two Metro Police officers sustained facial injuries after hit in the face with rocks – one was taken to hospital for treatment when a crowd turned against them at the Nyanga taxi rank.
Four of the alleged attackers were arrested and face a number of charges, including public violence, malicious damage to Council property, resisting arrest and hindering/interfering with an officer in the execution of their duties.
The drama unfolded when officers pulled over a white Toyota Quantum after the driver disobeyed a red robot.
He sped off instead, causing two accidents along the way, and eventually abandoned the vehicle at the Nyanga taxi rank, where he fled further on foot.
The City claims a crowd at the taxi rank hurled stones at the officers, and some also fired live rounds at them.
“Members of the Metro Police Tactical Response Unit discharged rubber rounds to disperse the crowd. By the time the situation calmed down, the taxi driver had managed to evade capture, but four other suspects were arrested, four Metro Police patrol vehicles were damaged, two officers sustained facial injuries from being hit in the face with rocks – one was taken to hospital for treatment,” said the City.
Safety and security mayco member JP Smith said this particular situation could have had fatal consequences.
“Even more puzzling is how, in the face of ongoing complaints about public safety and incidents of crime, anyone can target or obstruct officers in the execution of their duties. We condemn these brazen acts of lawlessness, and I sincerely hope that the courts will send out a strong message that this type of behaviour cannot and should not be tolerated,” said Smith.
The suspects were among 316 arrests made by the City’s enforcement agencies in the last week. Officers also recorded 81 568 transgressions.
Cape Times