The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has condemned the attack on a traffic officer in Langa.
The officer was assaulted while working at the taxi rank on Monday afternoon.
A witness says: “On Monday around 5pm a traffic officer and police officers chased a taxi that did not stop on the N2.
“The driver of the taxi drove all the way to Langa taxi rank where he was arrested by the police. However the traffic officer stayed behind to take the vehicle's details. He was attacked by the (other) drivers and they tried to take his service pistol and broke his (car) windows.”
Community activist Bongo Williams says the attack on the traffic cop by Langa taxi drivers, when a driver didn’t adhere to the traffic laws, should be seen and treated as undermining the rule of law in this country.
“Both the taxi driver and his colleagues should face the law and be denied bail if possible. We’re not a lawless country here.
“How on earth do you beat up an officer of the law whilst exercising his duties, the worst part of it in uniform?
“If the taxi operators are for the law and justice, they should suspend those hooligans from operating and hand them over to SAPS. This country is going straight to the drain in front of our eyes.”
Santaco general secretary Ryno Saaiers says they were disappointed to hear about the incident.
“We would like operators to advise their drivers to adhere to the rules of the road. We condemn the attack on traffic officers. We don’t condone any type of violence against traffic officers.”
Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie confirmed the incident and said that the provincial traffic officer was deployed on the N2 when they were attacked while in pursuit of a driver who had refused an instruction to pull over.
“Thankfully the officer was not injured, and is being referred for trauma counselling.
“The officer's marked patrol vehicle was damaged and their handheld device was stolen. An arrest was made by SAPS Langa, who were present at the scene, with charges for Reckless and Negligent Driving; Failing to comply with a lawful instruction by an authorised officer; Damage to state property; and Theft of state property.”