PHOTOS: Hawks swoop down on taxi violence

Police made a breakthrough in the ongoing war against taxi violence with the arrest of 21 people in Stanger Manor and Kranskop last night.

In a joint operation between the Hawks, KwaDukuza detectives, Kranskop SAPS and with the assistance of ORS Durban harbor tactical response team 21 were arrested on charges of attempted murder, obstructing police from performing their duties and for the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

KZN SAPS spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane told the Courier that around 11pm last night the units were in Kranskop, where they arrested one man under charges of attempted murder.

He was found in possession of an unlicensed 9mm pistol.

Their investigation then led them to number 30 Warren Road, Stanger Manor.

According to residents of Warren Road, about 20 of the Maphumulo Taxi Association’s security guards lived in the house.

They confirmed that this is the same house from which a convoy of vehicles were seen leaving from moments before the previous shooting on January 14, where the Maphumulo Taxi Association was allegedly ambushed in Primrose Street.

“As police approached the house at around 5am, the occupants started shooting at the police and they called for backup. Police entered and raided the house and found 15 unlicensed firearms, including AK-47’s, LM-4 semi-automatic rifles, nine millimeter pistols, and ammunition, an army jacket and a police bullet proof vest,” he said.

An undisclosed amount of cash was also collected as evidence.

“We believe these people may be linked to the ongoing taxi violence in the area,” Zwane said.

Municipal workers also later found four large caliber bullet casings further up the road and alerted police.

The provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended the team on outstanding police work.

“These recovered firearms will be sent for ballistic tests to establish if they were used in any taxi related violence cases in the KwaDukuza and Maphumulo area. The Hawks will work around the clock to establish if these suspects are also not linked to any taxi related violence in the area,” she said.

Nobody was injured in the shootout and those arrested are due to appear in the KwaDukuza magistrate’s court soon.