Cape Town - The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Western Cape has distanced itself from Monday’s violence, which saw a Golden Arrow bus and MyCiti bus stoned and torched in Khayelitsha, and at least four people arrested while police confiscated 13 petrol bombs.
In an incident along Oscar Mpetha Road in Kuyasa, shots were fired at a bus transporting passengers.
A passenger was injured and taken to hospital for medical treatment. Lingelethu West police are investigating two counts of malicious damage to property. The unknown suspects who fled the scene are yet to be arrested.
In Delft, three suspects were arrested and 13 petrol bombs confiscated.
Provincial police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the suspects, aged between 28 and 32, who were allegedly caught with petrol bombs were alleged to have strong links to the taxi industry. They are due to appear in court soon and they face charges in terms of the Explosives Act.
“At 10.45am, Flying Squad members on route patrol spotted a Toyota Quantum minibus and a sedan vehicle in pursuit of a furniture delivery vehicle that was driving on Delft Main Road and whose driver seemed to be in distress.
The police members promptly responded while calling for backup.
“Once they pulled over the 15-seater vehicle and the sedan, they searched the vehicles.
“Thirteen petrol bombs were discovered and the suspects were subsequently apprehended,” said Potelwa.
According to the City, some MyCiTi staff members were held hostage and prevented from operating ticket kiosks. Some MyCiTi bus routes were also suspended due to “intimidation and threats”.
The two-day strike, which started on Monday, has seen many commuters stranded and matric pupils who were unable to get to school having to find exam centres near them in order not to miss their finals.
At the heart of the issue is the R215 million Blue Dot programme, which rewards improved driver behaviour and service, and is expected to end this month.
Taxi drivers are also protesting against the impounding of their vehicles.
Santaco said it had embarked on a non-violent stay-away.
“We have made concerted efforts to constructively engage with our DA political leaders before we embarked on this stay-away, but we have been ignored.
“We have also made it explicitly clear as the leaders of the industry, to the public and to our members, that the stay-away means that all operations will cease for these two days.
“This means that minibus taxis will remain parked, taxi ranks will be closed, and drivers will not be working.
“Anything beyond that has not been mandated by our associations.
We, as the taxi leadership of the Western Cape, strongly condemn any violence flaring up, especially on other modes of transport such as buses.”
Anyone with information can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.
Cape Times