The murder of KwaDukuza municipal manager Nathi Mthembu last week has left residents of the town north of Durban living in fear of an upsurge in taxi violence, which has claimed close to 100 lives over the past five years.
KwaDukuza (formerly Stanger) is crawling with police and the local municipality has thrown a ring of steel around Mayor Sduduzo Gumede following threats to his life after Mthembu's murder last Thursday.
Police have been placed on high alert in case violence between the Maphumulo and KwaDukuza taxi associations erupts, and extra police units have been moved in. Police investigating Mthembu's murder have not ruled out the possibility that his killing was related to taxi violence.
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Lekho Mbatha, spokesperson for transport, community safety and liaison minister Bheki Cele, said the fact that the Durban Serious and Violent Crimes Unit was working closely with the police taxi task team on the investigation was a hint that the killing might be taxi-related.
The two taxi associations had been feuding for 20 years Members of KwaDukuza's municipal community safety unit have been assigned, in addition to Gumede's personal bodyguards, to ensure that no harm befalls the mayor.
A KwaDukuza police officer who has been involved in investigating the violence said the two taxi associations had been feuding for 20 years.
The police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said violence had increased in the past four years, with taxi owners, drivers, commuters, police and municipal officials being killed. The violence had claimed about 100 lives in five years, he said.
The violence seems to have erupted again following a recent Durban High Court ruling on the operation of routes that overruled a tribunal hearing on the matter.
The tribunal, appointed by the department of transport in August, was set up to rule on a disputed route.
Mthembu had apparently received death threats before his murder
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