3 Men Arrested After Forcing 15 Taxi Passengers to Pay R2,500 in Freezing Cold on N8

• Three men aged 44, 58 and 80 were arrested for alleged taxi extortion on the N8 between Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu
• The suspects forced 15 passengers, including children and elderly people, out of a taxi into sub-zero temperatures late at night
• Stranded and fearing for their safety, passengers pooled together R2,500 before the suspects allowed them to continue their journey

FREE STATE - Three men are facing extortion charges after allegedly stopping a taxi on the N8 highway and forcing 15 passengers, including children and elderly people, to hand over R2,500 in freezing temperatures.

The incident took place at around 11:45pm on 25 June on the N8 between Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu in the Free State. A Toyota Quantum carrying the 15 passengers was travelling along the route when a Toyota Hilux GD-6 sped past it and cut in sharply, bringing the taxi to a forced stop.

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Passengers stranded in sub-zero temperatures

The three men, aged 44, 58 and 80, got out and confronted the taxi driver, demanding to know who had given him permission to operate on that route. The driver produced his permit, but the men were not satisfied. They ordered all passengers out of the vehicle and into the cold night air. One of the suspects then began offloading luggage from the trailer attached to the taxi.

"Fearing for their lives and safety in the sub-zero temperatures, the stranded passengers pooled their money," police said.

Between them, the passengers gathered R2,500, which the driver collected and handed over to the suspects. Only then were the passengers allowed back into the taxi.

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A case of extortion was opened at Selosesha Police Station on 1 July and handed over for further investigation. The three suspects are expected to appear before the Thaba Nchu Magistrate's Court on charges of extortion.

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3 articles on extortion cases

• Briefly News reported that Joe Sibanyoni and his three co-accused appeared before the Delmas Magistrate’s Court on 28 May 2026 for the continuation of their extortion and money laundering trial.
• Two Gauteng traffic wardens were arrested in Benoni on 3 June 2026 on allegations of extortion and possession of suspicious documents.
• A KwaZulu-Natal woman has been sentenced to six months in prison and fined R10,000 for fraud and extortion after posing as a Department of Transport official.

Source: Briefly News