‘Taxis, behave or be shut’

617 17/12/2014 Head of Department Ronald Swartz, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi and Major General Norman at a press conference, regarding taxi operations that involve Mamelodi, Reiger Park and Vaal. Picture: Nokuthula Mbatha

617 17/12/2014 Head of Department Ronald Swartz, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi and Major General Norman at a press conference, regarding taxi operations that involve Mamelodi, Reiger Park and Vaal. Picture: Nokuthula Mbatha

Published Dec 18, 2014

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Johannesburg -

Although the closure of two taxi ranks in Gauteng has been averted, MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi warned that other problematic ones could be closed.

Speaking at a media conference yesterday after a meeting with taxi associations from Reiger Park, Mamelodi and Vosloorus, Vadi said Gauteng had several flashpoints where violence occurred regularly and was increasing. These were Alexandra, Randburg and the Pretoria central business district.

There had been 90 taxi-related murders in the past 24 months.

Of particular concern, said Vadi, was that taxi associations in the Vaal were hiring private, heavily armed security companies from KwaZulu-Natal to protect routes and drivers, and those companies were now clashing.

Another problem was the “four-plus-one” phenomenon which was emerging in Mamelodi outside Pretoria.

These were private car owners who used to assist to ferry passengers inside the area and off the routes, but who were expanding their operations onto formal taxi routes.

“These vehicles are not licensed, are not registered and are operating illegally,” Vadi said. “We thought we had taxi violence under control, but it is spiralling again. Closing down ranks is an extraordinary step, but if this is what we have to resort to, we will.”

The MEC last week placed a notice in the Government Gazette of his intention to shut the two ranks. Interested and affected parties could make submissions about why they should not be closed.

After meeting the taxi associations, Vadi said it was agreed to keep the ranks open under certain conditions, including not allowing people to operate if they did not have valid permits and operating licences, and

co-operating with the law enforcement agencies in criminal investigations into taxi killings.

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