By Mahira Duval
Pictures supplied
THE skelms filmed robbing an ehailing driver have finally been busted and will make their first appearance in Athlone Magistrates Court.
Nearly two weeks after the horrific robbery of driver Ali Zaib by knife-weilding thugs, police confirm the youngsters from Hanover Park are in custody amid an outcry on social media.
The incident on Christmas Eve in Rylands left the 36-year-old Pakistani father of five traumatised, as initially he did not see the teen boy as a possible threat.
In the viral clip, four youngsters are seen pouncing on Zaib's vehicle with one immediately threatening him with a lang mes.
"Jy hou ma se p***! Where is the money? " the robber asks as Zaib is trying to avoid being stabbed.
The scared driver is heard telling the robbers to take what they want and even handing over the access code to his cellphone.
They demand to see what is in his boot.
After he robbery, the main boef shockingly returns to the vehicle to greet the driver saying: "[Are] you Muslim? Salaam!"
Zaib showed the Daily Voice video footage from the front of his car which shows the teen initially stood in the road on his own. As the vehicle stops other suspects seemingly appear out of nowhere.
At the time he explained he had gone to Habibia Mosque for Asr prayers and picked up the trip from Rylands to Woodstock.
The dashcam footage was shared on social media and mense went mal as they immediately identified the laaities from Hanover Park.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirms the arrest and says: "This office can confirm that three suspects between 18 and 21 were arrested in connection with the e-hailing driver in Athlone. They will appear in the Athlone Magistrates court on Monday.“
Zaib says he was informed cops also recovered his phone.
He adds: "They phone me and said they were caught and they needed me to come in and do an ID parade but then I think they just used the footage.
“I was told told they recovered my cellphone but not the speed point that was taken."
The driver says he is happy with the arrest but has vowed to never work on the Cape Flats again.
He adds: "I am happy they were caught and believe Allah has a reason why this happened to me.
“I will never pick up a trip on the Cape Flats again - not even if someone says they will pay me R5000. I will only drive in Cape Town, Constantia and those places.
“The court must take firm action against these guys to teach them a lesson.
“If they get bail now they will just do this again and the next time they could end up hurting or killing someone."