The ANC councillor, who was arrested in connection with the murder of a commuter at the Bellville taxi rank on Friday, has been released without being charged.
Meanwhile, three other suspects who were also arrested for shootings at the rank on Thursday and Friday, appeared at the Bellville Magistrates’ Court where they were released on bail of R2000.
Mawethu Pupu, Sakhile Phangalele and Zidubile Qhoko were warned to avoid the taxi rank and to not contact witnessess
Advocate Sabelo Noxaka representing Mawethu said his client was innocent and that the case against him is weak.
“He was arrested while in the toilet with his legal firearm on him. He was running from the shooting and that’s it.”
The matter was postponed to 13 October.
In a statement yesterday, the ANC chief whip in the City of Cape Town, Noluthando Makasi, said: “The ANC caucus in the City of Cape Town has learnt about the arrest of Councillor Mlumlami Velem in connection with a fatal shooting at the Bellville taxi rank last Friday.
“We spoke to him yesterday (Sunday) and he indicated to us that he was released without being charged for anything.”
She said the caucus would not rush into any hasty decisions, but would allow the police to do their work.
Makasi said Velem had promised to co-operate with the police.
The councillor’s cellphone was on voicemail when the Daily Voice tried to contact him.
Meanwhile, Transport MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela yesterday held an urgent meeting with the Santaco, CATA, and Codeta leaders.
He also visited the Bellville taxi rank, where he found some drivers operating outside the rank as they were fearing for their lives.
The MEC says: “It was a very heated discussion, we made some resolutions especially to respond to the concerns in Bellville and Paarl.
“We must determine who has the right to operate on that route and remove people who should not be operating on that route as it is the source of the conflict.”
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