Man nabbed for unlicensed firearm following taxi violence

EASTERN CAPE – Police arrested a 28-year-old man for possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition following taxi violence, which then resulted in an attack on police in Jeffreys Bay.

On Monday, 17 August 2020 at about 11:30 am, police received a complaint of alleged taxi violence between members of the two taxi associations near Tokyo Sexwale taxi rank in Jeffreys Bay. At the scene, police arrested a man after he was seen hiding a firearm underneath a vehicle. As the police were busy monitoring the situation at the scene, a group of about 50 taxi operators converged in front of the police station and managed to block Woltemade Street with several taxi vehicles to demand the release of their arrested colleague.
T
he angry group of operators then went amok and attempted to force their way to the police station, as they damaged a security gate, a door and also pelted windows with stones. Police retaliated with stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. At this stage, one police officer sustained minor injuries during the incident. Police opened a case of public violence, malicious damage to property, assault and the arrests are imminent.

Police seized a firearm with eight live rounds of ammunition and also impounded ten taxi vehicles that were blocking the street. A 28-year-old man is due to appear at the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 19 August 2020 on charges of possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.