‘It’s hijacking and extortion’: JP Smith on taxi syndicates ‘impounding’ private cars

Private motorists and scholar transport drivers in Cape Town are facing a new wave of intimidation, with reports of vehicles being seized by individuals linked to local taxi associations.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith has condemned the acts as outright hijacking and extortion, warning that those behind the so-called “impoundments” are targeting the city’s most vulnerable.

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"This is not an impoundment; it's a plain and simple matter of hijacking and extortion, and it is disgraceful. It really irritates me, because very often it is aimed at quite vulnerable people being taken home from work, at difficult shift hours or scholar transport," he said.

Smith claimed that these actions are tied to elements within the taxi industry, with recovered vehicles sometimes found alongside illegalfirearms and large sums of cash.

"It is done by certain associations - explicitly - the vehicles are taken to their rank offices and kept there. It is to their rank office where you go and pay."

He urged victims to report cases to the city’s call centre on 021 480 7700 and to open criminal cases so that proper action can be taken.

Smith acknowledged that fear of retaliation often deters victims from pressing charges, but he stressed that failing to act only enables the syndicates.

"We will retrieve that vehicle, arrest the persons for hijacking - it is a serious offence - but on condition that the person is willing to open a case because what generally happens to these matters is that the persons are not willing to open criminal cases. So, they want us to recover the vehicle, and then just let it be, but those extortionists just keep on doing what they do, so it's imperative that you're willing to open a case."

Smith said the City is also pushing for stronger provincial regulations to criminalise this form of wannabe-enforcement.

To listen to JP Smith in conversation with CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit, click the audio below: