A member of the public has approached the Ministry of Transport and Public Works with details which indicate that the woman who was allegedly assaulted by a taxi driver in Phillipi last month may have, through her caution, avoided a far more dangerous situation. The member of the public, a young man, read the story in today’s Cape Times and contacted the Ministry.

The man was robbed at gun point at around 10:30 in Mark Street, Parow Valley last Saturday night, 30 June 2012, by the occupants of a vehicle closely matching the description of the taxi involved in the assault of 21 June 2012: a white Toyota Avanza with tinted windows.

The occupants are possible matches for all the men seen by the woman who was assaulted, indicating the “passengers” the woman saw may have been accomplices of the driver.

If it was in fact an armed criminal gang, the fears that drove her to apologise and decline the taxi may have saved her life.

The Ministry appeals again for members of the public to assist us in bringing these individuals to justice. Anyone who may have seen either crime, or is aware of a white Toyota Avanza with tinted windows with four black male occupants, and possibly one coloured male occupant, operating as a taxi in Parow or in Philipi is asked to contact Hector Eliott. Mr Eliott can be contacted via telephone on 021 483 2200, cell or SMS on 083 669 9609, email on hector.eliott@pgwc.gov.za or Twitter @hectoreliott. All contact will be kept confidential.

The Ministry has supplied all details to the Department of Community Safety and requested that these be passed on to the South African Police Services (SAPS) as soon as possible. A case was opened at Parow Valley SAPS after the armed robbery.

“The man who came forward has greatly increased our chances of identify the suspects involved and seeing justice served in this matter. To anyone thinking of coming forward, we need your help,” said Mr Eliott.