A Bonteheuwel taxi driver and his gaatjie will spend the next 15 years in the mang after they were found guilty of robbing a woman while she was fleeing from her abusive husband.
Driver Llewellyn Schaffers, 46, and his “sliding door operator”, Marshall Minnaar, 36, were convicted at the Wynberg Regional Court after the duo were busted by a local neighbourhood watch.
Manenberg station commander, Brigadier Sanele Zama, says the case was investigated by Sergeant Ntando Mzantsi, and dates back to July 2021 when the woman, desperate to find a shelter, boarded a taxi in Wynberg.
“She was from Belhar and was running away from her abusive husband,” Zama explains.
“She did not have any children but she said she heard of a shelter in Heideveld and when she arrived in Claremont, these two said they would take her to Manenberg. But they drove a weird route and landed up on the N2 highway.”
Zama says the driver took the Duinefontein Road turn-off but they got stuck without petrol.
“They pushed the van down the ramp towards Ascension Road and then demanded money from the woman,” he says.
“When she said she did not have, Schaffers pulled out a knife and robbed her of her bank card and demanded the pin number.
“He withdrew R200 from the card while Minnaar was behind the wheel. This was the last money the poor woman had and she was already traumatised.
“At the same time, neighbourhood watch patrollers came by and they helped the woman out of the taxi."
He says Minnaar was arrested on the spot but Schaffers evaded arrest until the taxi boss caught him and brought him to the station.
“The taxi boss did not get his van back for two days and went looking for the vehicle, which was impounded. He brought the driver to the station and he was arrested.
“The driver applied for bail but was denied. Both pleaded not guilty but they were found guilty on 6 July and sentenced to 15 years direct imprisonment.
“We welcome the sentence handed down and the hard work by (Sergeant) Mzantsi.”