MP Gotsell Demands Investigation into Alleged Taxi-Industry Interests of SAPS Members

October 30, 2026 Ashton Meyer Chris Gilili|Published 5 minutes ago

Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Security and Justice and the National Portfolio Committee on Police, Nicholas Gotsell, has urged police to take action against officers with suspected connections to the taxi industry.

​This week’s violent confrontations between competing taxi associations in Cape Town have left commuters in a state of chaos, prompting the South African Police Service (SAPS) to investigate targeted shootings.

​As SAPS and the City of Cape Town announced a collaborative effort to address the violence on Friday, Gotsell raised concerns over the trustworthiness of police officers allegedly holding personal and financial stakes in the taxi sector.

​Speaking to IOL Media, Gotsell commented shortly after Integrated Law Enforcement agencies in the City conducted a media briefing regarding their strategy to tackle the escalating taxi violence in Cape Town.

​“In a situation where taxi violence endangers innocent lives across the Western Cape, how many of the taxi owners involved in these conflicts are actually SAPS members who still hold illegal financial interests in the taxi industry?” Gotsell inquired.

​He referenced the DA, which governs the City of Cape Town, stating that they have already uncovered multiple instances of SAPS members, including those in specialized units, possessing interests in the taxi industry.

​Gotsell expressed: “There have been criminal and disciplinary proceedings initiated against over 20 members.”

​He urged SAPS to clarify the status of those cases and how many resulted in dismissals.

​Gotsell emphasized: “More critically, they must disclose how many of these members have interests in CATA or CODETA, the very associations at the heart of the ongoing violence. Furthermore, have any of them participated in policing operations, intelligence gathering, or investigations related to these disputes?”

​He asserted that SAPS cannot effectively probe taxi-related violence while any of its personnel possess financial interests in the outcomes of such investigations.

​He concluded that before SAPS management praises its response to taxi violence, it must inform the public about the measures taken to rectify its internal issues.

​“The concern is not only if SAPS can safeguard commuters from violent taxi operators but also whether they have guaranteed that none of those responsible for overseeing the taxi industry have a personal financial involvement in it,” he added.

​As SAPS and DA-led City law enforcement collaborate closely to mitigate the taxi-related conflict, Gotsell also appealed to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to grant local government enhanced investigative authority.

​He suggested that Cachalia should realize that fostering this cooperation could serve as a permanent enhancement in the battle against crime if he broadened policing powers.

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