Taxi driver died of “blunt force trauma”, says police watchdog
Luvuyo Vimba died after a clash with police
Cape Town taxi driver Luvuyo Vimba died from “multiple blunt force trauma” and the “application of force to the neck”, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has found. Archive photo: Thamsanqa Mbovane
A post mortem examination of the body of Cape Town taxi driver Luvuyo Vimba, who died after a clash with police, has revealed that the cause of his death was “due to multiple blunt force trauma”, according to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
Vimba’s death was also as a result of “application of force to the neck”, IPID said.
IPID has opened a murder docket to investigate police officers who may be implicated.
Vimba died after a clash with SAPS officers in the city centre on 1 November.
GroundUp saw videos in which Vimba appears to have been assaulted.
IPID spokesperson Robbie Raburabu told GroundUp on Thursday that on 1 November at approximately 6:30pm, Cape Town Railway SAPS members “had an altercation with Luvoyo Vimba”.
One of the SAPS members, said Raburabu, “allegedly assaulted Vimba with a sjambok”.
Vimba retaliated by punching the officer and then ran away, said Raburabu.
Vimba was chased by the officer and colleagues. He was eventually caught by SAPS members and City of Cape Town Law Enforcement officers backing up police.
Raburabu said Vimba was then taken to the Railway Police station in a law enforcement van.
Later, an ambulance was called to attend to Vimba who had “multiple injuries”, said Raburabu.
He was taken to Groote Schuur Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following day at approximately 10am, he said.
Vimba’s family told GroundUp they had only been told of his death on Monday.
Vimba’s brother, Malusi Vimba, told GroundUp that the family were told on Friday night that Vimba had been taken into custody following an altercation with police. On Sunday, the family were told he’d been transferred to hospital, but were not told which hospital.
“It is only on Monday that we were told where to find him,” said Malusi.
He said the family would not rest until there had been a full investigation and a criminal case had been opened against those responsible.
Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, sent condolences to Vimba’s family on Thursday. They called on Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis to institute an independent investigation into Vimba’s death.
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