To: Media
Attention: Editors
Issued: Thursday, 27 August 2020
Municipality condemns assault of Mogale City law enforcement officer by taxi driver
On Thursday 14 August 2020, a video clip showing a taxi driver assaulting a Mogale City Traffic official started going viral on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. Upon seeing this and receiving a detailed report which is part of our Law Enforcement’s standard operating procedures, the municipality has with utter dismay condemned not only the assault on the officer by a taxi driver but also passengers who one could hear spurring the driver on to beat the officer.
Mogale City’s Law Enforcement totally denounces such behaviour as it is total disregard for the law and conflicting to our own efforts to increase road safety to the benefit of all road users, including taxi passengers. As much as the municipality condemns the behaviour of passengers during the incident, Mogale Law Enforcement also appeals to members of the public as key role-players in road and general public safety to work with law enforcement agencies as we apply law and order to make our roads and communities safer for all.
For the benefit of those who are not aware of the video clip and incident, the occurrence took place during a routine roadblock on Thursday 14 August 2020. During the operation, one of our traffic officers stopped what appeared to be an overloaded taxi. Upon inspection the officer discovered that the minibus taxi was indeed overloaded and subsequently requested the driver’s particulars i.e. Driver’s Licence, including Professional Driving Permit (PrDP) which in the case of a taxi allows a driver to ferry passengers for reward.
Upon repeated requests for his particulars, the driver refused to provide the officer with the documents and the officer consequently attempted to arrest the driver. In resisting arrest, the driver who was also backed by one of the male occupants attacked two of our traffic officers. Other members from the Law Enforcement team then arrested the taxi driver who was taken to the Krugersdorp Police Station where a case of assault on two traffic officers was opened.
The driver has since been released on bail and due to appear in court on 15 September 2020. Whilst we believing that the matter will be adequately dealt with, we further encourage the South African Police Services and justice system to adequately deal with this matter ensuring that the law takes its course.
End
Issued by Mogale City Public Safety (Traffic)
Media Enquiries:
Mr. Adrian Amod
Corporate Communications
Adrian.amod@mogalecity.gov.za
081 351 2586 / (011) 951 2304/5
Ms. Refilwe Mahlangu
Corporate Communications
Refilwe.mabena@mogalecity.gov.za
083 796 0323 / (011) 668 0501