South Africans must take extra care to avoid becoming a victim of the growing issue of taxi hijackings and being forced to pay to retrieve their vehicle.
City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, warned South Africans that this issue is escalating with a growing wave of “hijackings and mafia-style extortion” being carried out by taxi associations across parts of the country.
He made these comments in an interview with Cape Talk, where he also noted that the City of Cape Town has received multiple reports of motorists being stopped, having their vehicles seized by taxi operators, and then being forced to pay for their release.
This includes those operating private staff transport and scholar transport.
He also dismissed that these so-called “impoundments” were nothing of the sort.
“It is hijacking when somebody takes your vehicle without your consent and removes that vehicle from your control,” he said.
“That is called hijacking, and it’s imperative that people not reward them, not pay them. This is a plain and simple matter of hijacking and extortion—and it is disgraceful.”
Smith noted that vulnerable people, such as workers being transported late at night, or scholar transport carrying children to school, were prime targets for these criminals.
“Very often it is aimed at quite vulnerable people being taken home from work at difficult shift hours, or scholar transport, which is what it is often aimed at,” he said.
He also indicated that the city’s investigations have determined that the hijackings are unequivocally tied to the taxi industry, with many stolen vehicles taken to taxi rank offices.
“It is done by certain associations explicitly. The vehicles are taken to their rank offices and kept there, and it is to those offices where you go and pay.”
Transport Mafia
During the interview, Smith described an incident where the police intervened directly when he was on patrol in Khayelitsha one night, when an Uber driver alerted them that this had just happened to him.
“We went to the taxi office, found the vehicle there, returned it to the driver, but we also found an illegal firearm hidden behind a cabinet and a lot of cash,” he explained.
“They had obviously been taking in fares, but also some extortion throughout the day.”
Following this, Smith urged anyone who has fallen prey to this scheme to contact the city rather than pay the extortionists as the city is “keen to help act on this”.
“People can call our call centre on 021 480 7700, and we will assist. We will retrieve that vehicle and arrest the persons for hijacking, but only on condition that the person is willing to open a case.”
He also noted that allowing the matter to slide after the return of the stolen vehicle wasn’t an ideal outcome.
“They want us to recover the vehicle and then just let it be,” he said.
“However, those extortionists just keep on doing what they do. It’s imperative that you’re willing to open a case.”
He then noted that the taxi groups operate in a capacity similar to an organised crime network, which is no different from the construction mafia.
“The transport mafia is well covered in research. We are acutely aware of this particular extortion format, because there are roving patrol teams that travel around the city,” he said.
“These groups include three or four men in a vehicle, sometimes wearing bibs, making sure only certain vehicles pass certain points.”
He also indicated that while the city has requested that the provincial government implement more thorough laws, even private motorists are being stopped and threatened.
Smith then urged motorists to report such incidents and hold law enforcement accountable, noting that they are ready to help those who contact their call centre.
“But you must also challenge the South African Police Service. Ask them what they are doing about this and how many people they have prosecuted. Because it is seriously out of control.”
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