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Eastern Cape police recovered at least 39 unlicensed firearms in the past week and arrested a suspect who they say is implicated in cases linked to taxi violence.
Spokesperson, Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, said police had increased deployments of specialised units, including the national intervention unit in hot-spot areas that include Port St Johns.
Three security officials from a taxi association were killed in a shooting incident at a taxi rank in the seaside town last week in what police said was a feud between the Border Alliance Taxi and Uncedo taxi associations.
He said several suspects were subsequently arrested.
"One of the suspects nabbed was a 41-year-old man (taxi owner), who is implicated in taxi violence-related cases, extortion, murders, and robberies in the Amathole District and outside the Eastern Cape Province. The suspect was arrested in Idutywa on Thursday," Nkohli said.
He said police recovered an AK 47 rifle, two loaded magazines, and several rounds of ammunition for an automatic rifle in a plastic bag inside his Mercedes Benz vehicle.
Nkholi said the man is due to appear in court on Monday.
He said provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene would be engaging the private security industry association, PSIRA, as they "see that private security companies are also involved in this taxi feud”.
