Cape Town - A manhunt has been launched for a taxi driver who managed to evade arrest after being detained during public transport enforcement operations in Hout Bay on Monday.
The suspect was arrested during an operation by City enforcement agencies, Hout Bay SAPS and public order police, but escaped custody after a group of Amaphela owners descended on the police station, the City said.
Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said metro police were swift in securing the area around the police station in efforts to find the suspect.
Smith said extensive public transport enforcement operations were rolled out on Monday in response to a previous arson attack on a MyCiTi bus in the area.
“With several taxis and Amaphelas impounded, a group of Amaphela owners gathered at the police station, and, using the advantage that most of SAPS resources were out with us in the area, forced the release of one of the arrested taxi drivers,” said Smith.
“Tracing operations have commenced and additional charges of escaping from lawful custody will be brought against the offender.”
According to Smith the suspect had not been formally released.
“Inside the station, the officer was busy getting the forms to process the arrest when a group of taxi drivers entered the charge office and intimidated our officer.
“This allowed the arrested suspect the opportunity to run out of the charge office and out of the police station. He was inside the building, ran out, across the road and disappeared between the shacks.
“The vehicle that he was driving at the time had been impounded. Currently he has not been taken back into custody and is still evading arrest,” said Smith.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed they were investigating.
“Hout Bay police are investigating cases of defeating the ends of justice, resisting arrest and escape from custody before detention after an incident (yesterday morning). According to reports, a traffic official arrested a suspect who escaped from his custody at the Hout Bay police station,” said Van Wyk.
Santaco in the Western Cape said it was not aware of the incident, but would conduct its own investigation.
Spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana said: “As Santaco we are also very much frustrated about the treatment we receive by law enforcement agencies.
“We regard the issue of impounding of our vans as harassment, and it is something that destroys the industry.
“We are dealing with this matter very professionally,” said Tumana.
The joint operation was in response to a MyCiTi bus attack that left the bus burnt out close to the traffic circle in Imizamo Yethu on January 11.
The arson and protest attacks were sparked by City’s Traffic Services response to reports that minibus taxis were ranking illegally in the area, and that some vehicles were operating without licences.
Cape Times