Johannesburg - Gauteng Roads and Transport portfolio committee chair Jacob Khawe has expressed disappointed and worry about the lack of leadership within the taxi industry following a wave of violence that saw a 45 year old Jabu Mahlangu from Tembisa killed this week.
Khawe who heads the province’s inquiry into taxi permits and licensing instituted after at least 90 people were killed in the past 18 months, said the taxi violence seemed to be based on route conflicts and lack of leadership.
“This is demonstrated by failure of taxi industry’s role players to honour their own agreements and (being) unable to control their members or either do not recognise their elected leaders or some of them appoint themselves to leadership positions.
“The Committee has noted that the recent pockets of violence in Mamelodi, Alexandra and Lawley have been caused by disputes with regards to routes, internal conflicts and illegal operations by other associations,” he said.
“The Committee calls upon all the leaders in the taxi industry to rise to the challenge and exercise patience while it is trying to sort out the weaknesses in the government systems. The Committee rejects the interim verbal agreements that are entered into association over another.”
The legislature’s inqury findings and recommendations will be tabled in the Gauteng Legislature on September 18th.
During the hearings, the committee was told that police intelligence was “so weak” that they couldn’t do anything about being told that taxi warlords were planning hits on one another.
The inquiry was told that taxi warlords were “fearless” of the consequences that come with committing murder in their battles over routes.
Khawe said the committee called for the establishment of a dispute and conflict resolution team which include the Department of Transport and the police to bring peace and stability in the taxi industry.
The committee has also sent messages of condolences and support to all the victims of the ongoing taxi violence.
Saturday Star