MEC Grant raises concern over Westlake taxi violence

Mbasa Gqokoma
18 April 2015

Western Cape MEC of Transport and Public Works has raised his concerns regarding the violent conflict in Westlake.

This came about after illegal taxi operators infiltrated routes in the Westlake area. Police had to intervene and sixteen illegally operating taxi’s were impounded and seven taxi drivers were arrested.

In a statement the department says it will not be deterred from enforcing the law and continuing to impound vehicles operating illegally.

Ministerial Spokesperson Siphesihle Dube says our department immediately could inform some illegal operators as to what’s happening and we have been working very closely with those operators through our joint operations.

Dube added that “since our joint operations centre established with our provincial traffic, metro police and the city of Cape Town to apprehend some of these operators that were operating illegally.

On Thursday morning we then received news of shooting in the Westlake area where two taxi operators were seriously wounded”.

Minister Grant extended his wishes that they recover speedily following the shooting and called for all people who have information relating to the shooting to assist us in the investigation to bring these perpetrators into book, Dube added.