The family of Khayelitsha taxi driver Luvuyo Vimba, who died in police custody after being violently subdued by officers, are demanding answers.
Video footage showing Mr Vimba caught in a scuffle with officers in Cape Town, on Friday November 1, shortly before his death has been widely spread on social media.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is investigating Mr Vimba’s death, according to the police watchdog’s spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping.
At a Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) press briefing, in Khayelitsha on Wednesday November 6, the family said they were appalled at the police’s behaviour.
Mr Vimba’s brother, Malusi Vimba, said the family were waiting for the investigations to be concluded before deciding what course of action to take.
“We do not know what transpired and what led to the fight with the police. We only saw the videos on social media. All we want is answers from the police because Luvuyo was a quiet man and somebody who will never even hurt a fly. We were shocked to see those trending videos.”
After hearing his brother had been arrested, the family had gone to Cape Town Central Police Station to see him, but they had been told that they could not visit him as he had fought with police officers, he said.
“It was a shock to us, but we respected that and decided to go and see him on Saturday. We still could not find him. We eventually found him at the mortuary,” he said.
Another relative, Elvis Mzolisa, said: “We are in the dark about what happened. That is why we want to know. Unfortunately, no one is telling us what really happened. We are hoping justice will be served in this case. It looks like the incident was brutal.”
Codeta has called for the incident to be thoroughly investigated and for those responsible for Mr Vimba’s death to face justice.
Codeta secretary general Nceba Enge said Mr Vimba was a victim of excessive force by those sworn to protect the public.
“His tragic death underscores the hostile environment that law enforcement and the City of Cape Town have created for taxi operators through unchecked aggression and harassment.
“The spatial realities of the Western Cape, but not excluding other provinces, continue to mimic apartheid planning, which means that the poor live far from places of employment, from centres of commerce and trade. People are therefore forced to commute via buses and minibus taxis.”
He accused the provincial government of waging a war against the taxi industry and called on Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to intervene.
“The minister, Barbara Creecy, has to step in and address the systemic abuse inflicted on the taxi industry by the City The failure to protect our drivers while relentlessly targeting them has reached a crisis point that demands national attention and intervention,” he said
City Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason confirmed that the police had requested Law Enforcement support in Strand Street at about 7pm on Friday November 1. He denied that the law enforcement have created a hostile environment.
