Sowetan

Metro cops injured in two attacks

City slams drivers, their passengers

- By Naledi Shange

Two Johannesbu­rg Metro Police officers have been discharged from hospital after they were allegedly attacked by a taxi driver and passengers in Cosmo City, Johannesbu­rg.

A statement by the city’s public safety department said the incident happened on Saturday.

“The JMPD officers were called to attend to an incident and stopped the suspicious minibus taxi on the corner of Angola Road and South Africa Road‚” the statement said.

“When the suspicious taxi was pulled over and questioned‚ the driver and his passengers became aggressive and attacked the officers. The suspects managed to disarm one of the officers and took a cell phone.

“During the scuffle‚ two of the officers sustained minor injuries and were taken to Milpark Hospital for treatment.”

A probe into the incident is under way.

Yesterday two officers were reportedly attacked during a routine stop-and-search operation at the intersecti­on of Main Reef and Houtkapper roads.

“A white LDV bakkie was stopped for overloadin­g of passengers which is a contravent­ion of the traffic laws. As the JMPD officer was busy issuing a citation to the driver‚ one of the passengers became aggressive and assaulted the female JMPD officer and hit another male officer with a fist on the face‚” Joburg’s public safety department said.

“The suspect was immediatel­y arrested and detained at the Florida Police Station”.

Public safety MMC Michael Sun has condemned the attacks‚ saying attacks on officers will not be tolerated.

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