Taxi operations have resumed at the Cape Town taxi rank following picket by taxi drivers
The protest follows a video that has gone viral, showing a traffic officer putting a taxi driver in a chokehold position, and wrestling him to the ground.
Cape Town taxi drivers picket at entrance of Station Deck after one of their members was arrested. Picture: Ntuthuzelo Nene/EWN.
CAPE TOWN - Taxi operations have resumed at the Cape Town taxi rank, following a picket by taxi drivers that halted operations for several hours.
Earlier on Tuesday, a large group of minibus taxi drivers blockaded the entrance to the station deck, forcing several road closures in the vicinity.
The protest follows a video that has gone viral, showing a traffic officer putting a taxi driver in a chokehold position, and wrestling him to the ground.
The angry taxi drivers accused Cape Town traffic officers of targeting them and criticized the use of maximum force while arresting the driver who was already in handcuffs.
Christiaan Barnard Street between Sir Lowry Road and Hertzog Boulevard in the Cape Town CBD has been opened to traffic again after being closed due to the taxi protest.
The City’s Safety and Security MMC, JP Smith says traffic officers apprehended a taxi driver earlier, who fled after being pulled over for driving along the shoulder of the road on the N2 incoming, near Langa.
Smith says officers were forced to subdue him, and the chokehold prevented injuries, which could have happened if the accused was not restrained.
He says an arresting officer is allowed by law to use sufficient force as is necessary to arrest an offender.
The driver is currently behind bars waiting to appear in court soon.