Patrols on problem route to tackle taxi robberies

INAbid to clamp down on taxi-related robberies, members of the Wynberg Taxi Association have taken to patrolling the route along Main Road from Mowbray to Cape Town.

This came after two women were robbed in minibus taxis within a week in the Cape Town area.

Vernon Billet, chairman of the South African National Taxi Council, said they condemned what happened, but added that there was little the council could do.

“Unless we catch them redhanded, we don’t have much power to control these robberies,” he said.

But Wynberg Association members have taken it upon themselves to tackle the robberies on Main Road.

On Monday, the Cape Times reported on the robbery of Jamiela Patel, who was flung from a moving minibus taxi en route to Wynberg last Friday afternoon.

Patel still experiences a lot of pain since her attack and the impact of the robbery has only hit home now.

“I am not feeling myself these days. I think the trauma of what happened is only hitting me now because I cannot sleep.

“The events of that day play out like a movie in my head and I need to take something just to fall asleep. I will never take a taxi again,” she said.

Hope Kozina experienced a similar ordeal on New Year’s Day when she was robbed by two men who she assumed were a taxi driver and guard.

Kozina was abducted and held for 40 minutes while the two men stole money from her bank account. Her biggest fear was being raped, and during the scuffle she says she nearly bit off one of the robber’s fingers.

Riedewaan Cornish, chairman of the association, said taxi robberies were especially a big problem after 7pm, which is the time that members of the association have now chosen patrol routes from Mowbray to Cape Town.

Cornish said they found that many rogue taxis trying to rob passengers along Main Road were unlicensed taxis from Manenberg or Bonteheuwel.

Drivers who travel along their route are taken to task if they are found to be involved in any illegal activity.

“When we find a driver who is drunk or on drugs while travelling, he is suspended and the owner of the taxi is notified and instructed not to employ him as a driver,” said Cornish.

Police could not provide comment at the time of deadline.