COPS have arrested a suspect in connection with attacks on Intercape bus drivers.
The 28-year-old man was bust in Klapmuts, Cape Town, on Saturday, 13 August.
Police spokeswoman Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the Serious and Violent Crime detectives attached to the Transport Violence Team arrested the man, who is facing murder and attempted murder charges.
On 31 July, a bus driver was attacked outside the bus company’s depot in Airport Industria.
The driver is in critical but stable condition in hospital, after he was shot in the leg and stomach while driving to the bus terminus to fetch commuters.
Potelwa said the suspect was expected to appear in the Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court on Monday, 15 August.
“The attacks occurred in March and April this year in Cape Town,” she said.
“The suspect was nabbed during a tracing operation. Detectives are probing other cases linked to the attacks.”
In April, bus driver Bangikhaya Machana (35) was shot and killed at the Intercape depot in Cape Town. Intercape attributed the attacks to rogue taxi associations that use violence to control routes. Western Cape MEC for Mobility Daylin Mitchell has welcomed the arrest.
“I’m grateful for this breakthrough and progress made by the police. The Western Cape government has adopted a whole society approach to support SAPS and law enforcement in whichever way possible to bring perpetrators to book.
“We will track this case in court and continue to follow up until there’s a successful conviction,” said Mitchell.
