Cape Town traffic officers arrested 10 minibus taxi drivers for outstanding warrants totalling more than R632,000 last week. Four of the arrests were made on the N2 during peak-hour patrols and operations.
On February 26, officers arrested a driver with 22 warrants to the value of R90,350. A second driver was arrested in connection with a hit-and-run incident where he also stole the other driver’s keys and drove off. When he was pulled over, officers checked and discovered he had 20 outstanding warrants totalling R68,900.
On February 27, officers arrested two more taxi drivers — one with 18 warrants valued at R56,200 and the other with 29 warrants totalling R114,700. During an integrated operation in Sea Point and surrounds on the same day, officers arrested six drivers with 123 warrants between them, totalling R301,900.
“These are but a few examples of the thousands of motorists who go about their days, showing scant regard for law and order but also dodging accountability,” said safety and security MMC JP Smith.
“While many might feel they get away with their misdeeds, I am enthused to note that the traffic service has reported a marked increase in the number of warrant-related arrests since July. There are consequences — and good luck to those who continue to believe they are untouchable. To those who might be seeking a reprieve, we are finalising logistics for another traffic fine roadshow in March.”
I know that law-abiding residents are deeply frustrated by the total disregard that some minibus taxi drivers have for the rule of law.
— JP Smith, safety and security MMC
City-wide, between July 2025 and January 2026, traffic officers executed 52,938 warrants on motorists who have failed to appear in court for unpaid traffic fines. While some were released on a warning, 20,724 (39%) were taken into custody until their court appearances, compared with just 11% of all warrant executions during the same period the previous year.
During the seven months under review, traffic officers:
- recorded more than 2.2-million offences;
- made 1,411 general arrests; and
- impounded 5,632 public transport vehicles.
“The data underpins the scale of the lawlessness on our roads from all categories of road users. It also serves as a reminder of why the amendments to our traffic by-law are so crucial,” said Smith.
Cape Town is proposing amendments to the traffic by-law that significantly expand the authority of traffic officers to impound vehicles for, among other things:
- reckless driving;
- overloading by more than three passengers; and
- driving with a licence disc expired for more than 90 days.
“The process to finalise the updated by-law is nearing completion, and I know that law-abiding residents are deeply frustrated by the total disregard that some minibus taxi drivers have for the rule of law. We need to rein in their bad behaviour, and I’m confident that it will help address some of the more serious transgressions on our roads.”
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