The City of Cape Town has strongly condemned the violent attack on its officers while they were on duty. This follows an incident that happened on Monday, August 12, where three officers were assaulted by a scholar transport driver.
According to Jean-Pierre “JP” Smith, the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, the officers from Ghost Squad were attacked by the driver of a Quantum minibus. The driver was carrying school children at the time of the attack. Smith said the officers stopped the driver after he overtook other vehicles by driving on the shoulder of the roadway near Borcherds Quarry in Nyanga.
When they stopped the driver, he refused and drove away at high speed. They chased and boxed his taxi near Duinefontein Road. When they tried to arrest him, a fight ensued. One officer was stabbed in the head with a vehicle key. He then grabbed a second officer’s pepper spray and used it to attack the officers, in addition to punching and kicking them.
After the assault, the driver fled the scene, forcing three students out of the vehicle before speeding off. He was chased again and was cornered by additional officers. He then managed to escape by jumping over the N2 median wall and running towards Bonteheuwel, leaving his taxi behind.
The injured officers were taken by ambulance to N1 City Hospital for treatment. The incident has been reported to the South African Police Service.
In a separate incident earlier on Tuesday 13 August, an officer was struck by a passing vehicle during a checkpoint on the Klipfontein Service Road in Athlone. The officer was taken to the hospital, and the severity of their injuries is not yet known. This incident is also under investigation.
Smith said in response to these attacks, the City of Cape Town plans to strengthen enforcement actions. He said they are determined to address the increasing recklessness and disrespect for the law.