Durban - MORE THAN 70 taxi violence cases were investigated in KwaZulu-Natal this year said Transport MEC Bheki Ntuli, during a provincial taxi lekgotla in Durban at the weekend.
The lekgotla was in preparation for the national taxi lekgotla this Thursday and Friday. Regulating the industry and taxi violence were expected to be on top of the agenda.
Ntuli said the latest report presented by the provincial police indicated there were 73 taxi violence-related murder cases this year alone, and that 14 men were arrested and charged.
“There are no convictions for the current year, due to Covid-19. There are 16 attempted murder cases recorded this year and nine suspects have been arrested and charged. Five cases are being investigated for the possession of illegal firearms and 10 suspects have been arrested, but no-one has been found guilty as yet, as investigations are still ongoing. Since the inception of the Taxi Violence Task Team several years ago, there have been at least 33 life imprisonment sentences meted against the guilty parties,” he said.
“We need to use this lekgotla to address critical challenges facing the taxi industry, including the level of instability in some of the taxi associations in the province, the level of killings, and the use of hitmen. We also need to discuss the role of private security companies in the industry.”
Ntuli said the taxi industry was responsible for transporting more than 20million people daily, countrywide.
“This means the industry is the biggest transporter of our public, mainly the working class. The most painful reality is that not only are operators targeted, but commuters as well. Areas such as Pietermaritzburg, Howick, KwaSwayimane, Mandeni, Richards Bay, Ladysmith, Newcastle, KwaNongoma and Mzinyathi are among those remaining with serious challenges. To reach the envisaged level of success and security in the taxi industry, the government must address taxi industry unity and leadership, industry regulations, industry empowerment and industry professionalisation, and customer care.”
He said the main source of conflicts emanated from rank and route disputes, encroachments, collection of fees, power struggles, greed and corruption.
One of the measures to bring order in taxi ranks, Ntuli said, was to install perimeter fencing, association recognition stickers, issuing of rank permits to authorised associations, automated boom gates, physical security, number plate recognition and surveillance cameras.
Between November 2017 and July 2018, the Daily News reported two incidents where 22 people died in a hail of bullets, fired by unknown gunmen, in Ladysmith.
In the 2017 incident, taxi boss Muzikayifani Ngobese and his four bodyguards were murdered, when gunmen opened fire on their double-cab bakkie. Six teachers, on their way to work, were also killed in that massacre when their vehicle was also shot at while driving past the scene.
In the second incident, 11 taxi drivers were shot and killed on the R74, between Colenso and Weenen. One driver escaped unharmed, while four others were treated at the Ladysmith Provincial Hospital.
Provincial spokesperson for the South African National Taxi Council Sfiso Shangase said they were in full support of the lekgotla and its purpose.
“There is full co-operation from all role players, because this violence is a cause for concern. We support the effort to normalise the situation and we will be making our own submissions to the Transport Department.”
Daily News