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GEORGE NEWS AND VIDEO - Four taxi operators and a bystander were arrested in Nelson Mandela Boulevard on Thursday 14 April after an altercation with local traffic officers. The taxi had allegedly stopped in the street and was obstructing the traffic when local traffic officers approached it shortly after 07:00.
According to Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe, senior communications officer at George Municipality, a taxi was stopped in Nelson Mandela Boulevard (near Ferobrake) for obstruction of traffic and it was established that the driver was illegally operating the taxi.
"As the driver was being arrested in terms of the current High Court interdict, he resisted arrest and tried to escape. In the process of running away, he was chased by a traffic officer and caught from behind. Both were injured when they fell to the ground. A few others (taxi drivers) were also arrested for interfering, assault, and intimidation," said Mangqwengqwe.
The taxi was subsequently impounded.
Southern Cape police spokesperson Capt Malcolm Pojie confirmed the incident and said that preliminary information indicates that the traffic officer was on duty in Nelson Mandela Boulevard and pulled off the suspicious-looking taxi.
"During the routine investigation, the driver (38) could not show the necessary permits. It is further alleged that the driver damaged the key of the vehicle and ran away after which he was caught and taken into custody. During the arrest, more of the taxi association's members showed up and allegedly obstructed traffic officers in the performance of their duties," he said.
The five suspects, aged between 35 and 42, were released later that day on warning to appear in George Magistrate's Court. They face charges of intimidation, assault on a traffic officer, and contempt of court / disregard of a court order.
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Codeta responds
According to Arnold Pietersen, chairperson of Codeta Disadvantaged Taxi Association George (Codeta), three other taxi operators, including himself, were arrested after they attempted to intervene. An employee from a nearby business who was allegedly recording the arrests on video was also taken into custody. Pietersen said the taxi was in no way obstructing the traffic before it was pulled over to the sidewalk.
"It was peak traffic when they pulled him over and four of them [traffic officers] approached him and asked for his driver's licence. When he asked who he had to give the licence to, they started man-handling him and sprayed him with pepper spray. They harassed him and their aim from the beginning was to arrest him."
The driver of the taxi allegedly sustained a broken leg.
According to Pietersen they were all detained at the George police station and, with the assistance of their legal representative, released later that evening with the warning to appear in court on 12 May.
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