The net is closing in on a Mamelodi taxi boss, who has allegedly been terrorising the community after a number of his associates were arrested by police in a sting operation on Friday evening.

One of the taxi boss's business partners, whose name is known to News24 was arrested  during multi-disciplinary intelligence-driven operation at his home in a Silverlakes estate, East of Pretoria, while the another was arrested in Bronkhorstspruit.

A source with information on the investigation also revealed that the taxi boss, whose name is known to News24 is on the run, but it is expected that he will be apprehended soon.

The taxi boss has been accused of wreaking havoc in Mamelodi, extorting and intimidating spaza shop owners  and taxi drivers in the community.

Coincidentally, News24 interviewed one of the men arrested on Friday morning who shut down the allegations, saying that there has not been a single docket opened against the taxi boss at Mamelodi West and East Police Station.

"I spoke to the head of detectives at the Mamelodi East police station, wanted to know whether there was any pending case of docket that Mr [taxi boss] needed to answer too and the reply was no," he said.

The suspect inferred that the allegations were fuelled by disagreements  with rival taxi owners in Mamelodi, aimed to discredit the taxi boss in question.  

"We feel that it [the allegations] is coordinated from within the industry itself."

The suspect said that there were people moving around the township extorting business owners and taxi drivers for money, but said that the taxi boss did not send anyone of his employees.

He said that the taxi boss is not associated with anyone who has been committing these crimes in Mamelodi.

On Sunday evening, the South African Police Services (SAPS) released a statement confirmed the arrest of six suspects following interventions by the police in Mamelodi.

A police spokesperson said that the two arrested in Pretoria East and Bronkhorstspruit respectively,  will be charged extortion and intimidation and are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday.

"Four more suspects were arrested in Midrand on possession of illegal firearms and contravention of the Private Security Industry Regulation Act," Peters said in the statement.

"The recovered firearms will also be put through ballistics to establish possible linkage to serious and violent crime."

These suspects are also expected to appear in the in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Furthermore, Peters said that further arrests cannot be ruled out and the possibility of linking the suspects to other crimes as investigations are still underway.

These arrests come after a ministerial imbizo and a return visit to Mamelodi just over a week ago where Police Minister Bheki Cele launched the Crime Combat and Reaction Team for Mamelodi on 1 March.

Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has welcomed the arrests, saying that in their commitment to bring back stability in the area after the public outcry, residents should "watch this space."