Johannesburg – A minibus taxi driver has been arrested after he and accomplices posing as commuters allegedly took a man hostage and robbed him on his way to buy winter clothes for his children.
The driver was only arrested by chance when patrolling metro police officer stopped him when they saw him dropping off his accomplices on the highway.
The victim came running, told police what happened and the driver was arrested.
According to Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department's Kobeli Mokheseng, 42, who was still in his work uniform, had just knocked off at Greenstone Mall around midday on Tuesday and hailed a minibus taxi on Modderfontein Road en route to the Joburg CBD to buy winter clothes for his children.
Inside the taxi was the driver as well as four "passengers".
However, the alleged passengers are said to have pointed a firearm at the man as soon as the taxi started moving then took the R2 050 meant for the children's clothes and a cellphone.
Mokheseng said the men also took the man's bank card and demanded his pin number "before the traumatised victim was dropped off on the N12 freeway direction east by Harper bridge, in Bedfordview area".
Mokheseng said at 12.15pm, EMPD Drunk Driving Enforcement Unit Members deployed on freeways noticed a white Toyota Quantum minibus taxi quickly dropping off four male commuters on the N12 freeway.
As that is a traffic violation, the officers stopped the driver.
"As officers were busy issuing a fine, a disturbed and almost out of breath pedestrian in uniform (from a retail supermarket) came running and requested them (officers) to arrest the driver.
"He said it was because he (driver) had ferried four men men who robbed him earlier and left him stranded on the N12 freeway."
Mokheseng said the man was immediately arrested and paramedics were also summoned to the scene as the man was in shock.
None of the man's items were found in the driver's possession and the four men who had allegedly robbed him were not found as they ran away as soon as they were dropped off.
The driver, from Daveyton, has been charged with armed robbery and kidnapping.