Cape Town - Macassar residents are living in fear following a series of robberies perpetrated by criminals using a taxi and have demanded action from the police.
The alleged syndicate utilising a white taxi bearing a Codeta Taxi Association sticker dubbed the “Quantum Gang” has been terrorising the community over the past week.
On February 9, the Toyota Quantum entered the community of Sandvlei and its occupants hijacked two vehicles, which were later recovered.
On Monday, eight men who exited the Quantum entered the Best Buy supermarket in Third Street, Firgrove, and robbed the store, including employees’ cellphones, and later kidnapped one of the employees. They allegedly demanded a ransom of R100 000, however R20 000 was paid.
On Tuesday five armed men and one woman robbed a British American Tobacco vehicle in Reeb Road, Deep Freeze, of cigarettes destined for delivery to one of the shops in the area.
The following day, six armed men on Old Main Road, Firgrove, entered Spar Tops and robbed the store of money and alcohol.
Community Policing Forum member Russel Williams confirmed that the area has experienced a spike in robberies in the past week.
Williams said that criminals had been getting “cleared out” in other areas and were now moving over to a new area.
“Our area is not secure. It’s remote and criminals can easily work out when to commit a crime with limited police response or lack thereof. Due to a lack of resources in terms of police vans and manpower, criminals are now moving into our area.
“If you look at our neighbouring town of Khayelitsha, law enforcement, metro police and SAPS are closing down on thugs, and they are taking the opportunity to move our side,” he said.
Williams said these thugs had the upper hand as they were aware of the police modus operandi.
Ward councillor Peter Helfrich said it was clear that these criminals were not from ward 109, but aware that Macassar police was under-resourced.
“I believe this is the reason they are targeting our community at the rate at which they are. Residents are appealing to Minister Bheki Cele, SAPS national and provincial management to provide SAPS Macassar with the required resources for them to be able to deal with this type of criminality effectively,” Helfrich said.
Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi denied that the minibus taxi belonged to the taxi association.
“Sometimes these thugs, especially in robberies, steal our stickers and put them on any taxi so that an ordinary person would think the taxi belongs to our association.
“The said taxi doesn’t have a permit number visible, but we will trace it using the registration number. However, I am certain that it doesn't belong to Codeta,” Khanyi said.
Police were approached for comment but could not respond by the time of the deadline.