Bonteheuwel taxi drivers and business owners have come under fire from evil gangsters for refusing to pay “protection fees”.
On Saturday, a taxi, loaded with passengers, was pelted with stones shortly after 2pm after the driver told his extortionist to go fly a kite.
Ward councillor Angus McKenzie says the incident caused an uproar among the drivers who say they are being targeted by opportunistic skollies while travelling along the southern section of Bonteheuwel Avenue.
A taxi driver, who asked not to be named, says while passing a gangetjie near Swartysterhout Road, gangsters stop taxis pretending to be passengers and when they stop they are threatened.
“They want R50 for protection money, every time we pass that part of the avenue. If you say no, they will stone your van. On Saturday, they stoned a van and the passengers were hurt. The drivers went to speak to them and they shot at them, but nobody was hurt.”
The driver says while he hasn’t paid the protection fee, many drivers are scared of the skollie s: “We all know it’s the HLs [Hard Livings] and they started this a couple of weeks ago. Now the Americans are also doing it.”
But a local business owner says it’s not only taxi drivers who have become targets.
MENSE IS KWAAD: Bontas taxis, passengers and businesses are at risk from gangsters who have started demanding ‘protection fees’
The man, who asked not to be named, says members of the Hard Livings gang have started to threaten business owners demanding protection fees as well.
“They come in here and say they want protection money. They don’t say how much and when we say no they target the people delivering our bread and stuff.
“They hold them up and rob them and now the people don’t want to deliver here anymore. We must go fetch the stuff and that costs us more.”
McKenzie visited taxi drivers after the incident on Saturday and says Bishop Lavis police as well as City of Cape Town Law Enforcement agencies have been briefed on what is happening and resources are being sent in to protect commuters and shoppers.
He says gangsters are making a mistake thinking they will get away with their threats.
“The people of Bonteheuwel are gatvol of gangsters. Nobody is standing for it anymore and now they look for soft targets. We have discussed the matter and resolved that nobody pay any gang member protection money. If they start now, it will never end,” says McKenzie.
A meeting of all roleplayers has been called for Monday.
“We will be discussing the way forward but the taxi drivers and business owners must not give up. If we give in now, they will never stop and we must stand together and get rid of gang-related activities,” McKenzie says.