Police have been lauded for the arrest of three suspects linked to taxi violence related murders in East London.
The three were arrested by a special task team assigned to prevent, combat and investigate serious and violent crime in the Eastern Cape, police said.
In videos circulating on social media, the men are seen cornered in a buzzing Mall of Africa in Midrand, and bystanders watch as they are handcuffed.
MIDRAND - [WATCH] Several suspects involved in the murder cases of taxi operators in East London were arrested while enjoying snacks at Spur in Mall of Africa,Midrand on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/HIQJF0tTwi
— Crocodile 🐊Football 🏆![CDATA[]]>🏆![CDATA[]]>🏆![CDATA[]]>🏆![CDATA[]]>🏆![CDATA[]]>🏆![CDATA[]]>🏆 (@maetsebane) November 10, 2024
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, confirmed two of the suspects were arrested at Mall of Africa in Midrand, Johannesburg on Friday, while another one was arrested in East London on Saturday.
“The murders are believed to have taken place between November 2023 and August 2024.
“Two taxi owners, a taxi driver and a member of a taxi association, were gunned down.
“Four other suspects that are also seen in this video have been taken in for questioning by SAPS. Police have seized four pistols and an AK47 from the suspects. These firearms and rifle have been taken in for ballistics testing to determine their linkage to the murders and any other serious and violent crime,” said Mathe.
Eastern Cape provincial task team coordinator Zola Yolelo said they were still observing the process.
The task team had been established on the advice of Transport and Community Safety MEC Xolile Nqatha to address the spate of murders in the taxi industry.
Nqatha had also called for existing taxi structures to be disbanded until they could get to the bottom of the violence.
Yolelo said: “As Eastern Cape provincial task team we are still observing the processes to unfold. We are still waiting for the charges to be confirmed in court.
“Our priority is the safety of all South Africans.”
Police have arrested two suspects linked to taxi murders in East London between November 2023 and August 2024 #taximurders #taxiviolence #mallofafrica pic.twitter.com/g9wV2XyP09
Forensic crime expert Calvin Rafadi added: “This type of success by our law enforcement not only root out criminals but it brings back good confidence to the public at large, that some police do their work diligently.
“Having said that, can they also download those criminals cell phones for digital evidence and link all that are involved in those horrific crimes, especially politicians and prison inmates,” Rafadi said.
Cape Times