Cape Town taxi driver arrested for slashing tyres on patrol vehicle

A 32-year-old taxi driver has been arrested in connection with the deliberate slashing of tyres on a patrol vehicle during a traffic enforcement operation in the Cape Town CBD — an incident authorities say undermines road safety efforts at a time of heightened enforcement across the Western Cape.

The incident occurred on December 23, at the intersection of Lower Plein and Strand streets, where traffic officers were conducting a taxi enforcement operation. A traffic officer parked his patrol vehicle at the intersection and, upon returning, discovered that the tyres had been deliberately slashed, leaving the vehicle immobile.

According to Kevin Jacobs of the Cape Town Traffic Service, the damage was discovered while officers were actively enforcing traffic laws in the area.

“When the officer returned to the vehicle, he discovered that the tyres had been deliberately slashed, rendering the patrol vehicle immobile,” Jacobs said.

An investigation was launched with the assistance of the Safety and Security Information Management Operations Team, along with the City’s Traffic Services and Law Enforcement departments. Their coordinated efforts led to the identification of a suspect, who was traced and stopped on Tuesday morning.

“At approximately 10.30am, the suspect was pulled over in Strand Street and taken into custody,” Jacobs confirmed.

The suspect was arrested and detained at Cape Town Central SAPS, where he faces a charge of malicious damage to property.

Authorities say the incident comes against the backdrop of intensified traffic enforcement across the province during the peak festive travel period. Between December 29 and January 4, Provincial Traffic Services made 88 arrests, including 65 for driving under the influence of alcohol, while more than 350 speeding offences were recorded. The highest speed clocked during this period was 171 km/h in a 120 km/h zone.

To curb dangerous behaviour, 180 integrated roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and speed control operations were conducted across the Western Cape. More than 36 000 vehicles were stopped and checked, resulting in over 9 000 fines for various traffic violations, including driver and vehicle fitness offences.

During the same period, the Western Cape Mobility Department recorded 23 fatal incidents, resulting in 25 deaths on provincial roads. Of those killed, 12 were pedestrians and six were motorcyclists, underscoring the vulnerability of road users outside of vehicles.

Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku said while enforcement remains critical, behaviour change is essential to prevent further loss of life.

“Every fatality on our roads is one too many. While our enforcement teams continue to work tirelessly across the province, road safety ultimately depends on the choices each road user makes,” Sileku said.

Chief Director of Traffic Management Maxine Bezuidenhout echoed the call, stressing the need to protect vulnerable road users.

Officials have warned that attacks on traffic officers or their equipment — such as the deliberate slashing of patrol vehicle tyres — not only constitute criminal acts, but also directly hamper enforcement operations designed to keep road users safe during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

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Cape Argus