South Africans are being cautioned about an alarming trend involving taxi operators who are forcibly seizing vehicles and demanding cash payments for their return a criminal practice that is rapidly spreading in various parts of the country.
This warning comes from the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, who has raised the alarm over what he calls a “growing wave of hijackings and mafia-style extortion” carried out by certain taxi associations.
Vehicles Seized and Held for Ransom
Smith revealed that the city has received multiple reports of motorists including private transport operators and scholar transport drivers being stopped, stripped of their vehicles, and then coerced into paying to get them back.
“This is not an impoundment,” Smith stressed in a recent radio interview. “It is hijacking when somebody takes your vehicle without your consent and removes it from your control. This is plain and simple hijacking and extortion and it’s disgraceful.”
Many of the targeted victims are vulnerable individuals, such as night-shift workers or school transport drivers moving children in the early hours of the day.
Taxis Acting as “Transport Mafia”
According to Smith, investigations clearly link these incidents to specific taxi associations. The seized vehicles are typically taken to taxi rank offices, where motorists are forced to negotiate or pay for their release.
“It is done by certain associations explicitly. The vehicles are taken to their rank offices and kept there. That’s where you go and pay,” Smith said.
He recounted a recent operation where the City’s metro police intervened in Khayelitsha after an Uber driver’s vehicle was hijacked. “We recovered the car at the taxi office and also found an illegal firearm and a stash of cash evidence of both fare collection and extortion,” he explained.
Law Enforcement Urges Public to Act
Smith is urging motorists not to pay these extortionists but to report incidents immediately. “People can call our call centre on 021 480 7700, and we will assist. We’ll retrieve the vehicle and arrest the perpetrators but only if the victim is willing to open a case,” he said.
However, a major challenge remains that many victims are reluctant to pursue criminal charges, allowing the criminal activity to continue unchecked.
“What generally happens is that victims want the vehicle back but refuse to open a case. That enables these extortionists to keep operating,” Smith warned.
Organised Crime Tactics
Smith compared these taxi operators to other organised crime networks such as the “construction mafia.” He described how groups of men in marked vehicles patrol the streets, blocking certain motorists and enforcing territorial control.
“These groups include three or four men in a vehicle, sometimes wearing bibs, making sure only certain vehicles pass certain points,” he explained.
The city has called on provincial authorities to strengthen laws to make these intimidation tactics explicitly illegal.
Private Motorists Also Targeted
The extortion scheme doesn’t only affect transport businesses. Even private motorists have reported being stopped and threatened for offering lifts to family or friends.
Smith urged residents to report incidents and demand accountability from both the City and SAPS. “Call our call centre we will help. But also challenge the police. Ask what they are doing about this. Because it is seriously out of control,” he said.
If you are a victim of vehicle hijacking or extortion by taxi operators, report it immediately:
📞 City of Cape Town Call Centre: 021 480 7700
🚔 South African Police Service (SAPS) Open a criminal case.
Authorities emphasise that paying the extortionists only fuels the problem and collective action is needed to stop this dangerous practice.
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