Taxi operators nab three ‘robbers’

Gang used minibus to pick up and rob commuters

Three men who were pretending to be taxi operators and are also believed to be behind a spate of robberies of passengers have been arrested.

Their arrest on Tuesday came shortly after a local taxi association apprehended them and recorded a video in which they confessed to the crimes.

“The last person we robbed, we took R2 400 from them and used it on alcohol and drugs for our friends,” one of the three men is heard saying in the video which went viral on social media.

The trio admitted to robbing commuters in the East Rand township of Daveyton, near Benoni, using a white Toyota Quantum.

In the footage, the men are instructed to introduce themselves and explain their modus operandi. One of them said they picked up commuters, robbed them, then dumped them in secluded areas.

One of the alleged robbers is heard saying: “We rob people using a white Quantum. We rob passengers of their valuables and take their money and cellphones.

“We usually pick them up in Daveyton. We dump them in the middle of nowhere but we haven’t killed anyone.”

In the footage, the trio is seen standing next to the taxi with an undisclosed amount of money on the ground, as well as cellphones.

The Benoni Taxi Association, which recorded and released the video on social media, said it believed the arrest of the trio was a breakthrough.

The association’s general secretary, Godfrey Mathebula, said they were relieved to have caught the alleged perpetrators. He said the men were apprehended by security personnel employed by the association and handed over to the police.

“There was a high concern around this matter because it has been happening since 2015.

“We even decided to have meetings with community structures to come up with a resolution,” he said.

Police spokeswoman Captain Nomsa Sekele confirmed that the three men were in custody, facing robbery charges and they are expected to appear in court soon.