Durban - THE South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has accused the government of not doing enough to end taxi violence, while quick solutions were taken when a politician was killed.
Boy Zondi, Santaco provincial spokesperson, said taxi violence was perpetuated by the fact that the people behind the taxi killings were getting away with murder.
Appealing for interventions as a matter of urgency, Zondi said the issue of taxi violence deserved a commission of inquiry to assist the police in bringing those behind the taxi killings to book.
“We have seen the establishment of a commission of inquiry into political killings in the province, but not into taxi violence. Last week alone six people were killed in taxi violence-
related shootings. We have not seen any results since the establishment of the taxi violence task team. The killings need to stop,”said Zondi.
Six people were killed in Kwa-
Zulu-Natal in shootings believed to be linked to taxi violence.
Last Thursday, a taxi owner who was returning from a meeting was shot dead near a taxi rank in Isipingo.
On the same day, a man believed to have links in the taxi business was shot and killed while he was travelling as a passenger in a blue Toyota Corolla along Umbilo Road.
The driver was also killed when they were ambushed.
Three people, including a taxi driver, were also killed in an alleged taxi hit in Cato Ridge last week.
It is alleged the assailants ambushed a taxi that was travelling from Durban to KwaSwayimane at Nagel Dam outside Pietermaritzburg.
The attackers opened fire, killing the taxi driver, a pupil and a baby who were in the taxi.
The shooting was believed to be linked to the feud between two families in KwaSwayimane that has now affected the taxi industry and claimed a total of 15 lives.
Kwanele Ncalane, Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison spokesperson, said the department was concerned. He said the department was working around the clock together with the police task team to solve taxi violence cases.
Ncalane said the department formed a task team dedicated to investigating taxi violence cases, but taxi violence continued to be a problem.
It was more worrying that innocent commuters were also being killed. To keep updated on the work of the task team, Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Bheki Ntuli met them on a regular basis. The department’s regulatory entity unit intervened in violence-stricken areas, he said.
The department was hoping such interventions would soon yield positive results. The department was also working at developing regulations to standardise operations in the taxi industry.
“We admit there are challenges, which are due to the fact that the industry has not transformed and that operations are still done the old way.
“We need to create a new culture of doing things in the taxi industry. The conflicts are due to issues of non-
compliance, leadership and control issues, and the collection of money at the taxi ranks,” said Ncalane.
Steven Moodley, IFP spokesperson on transport, called on Ntuli to establish a plan and tangible solutions to address taxi violence and the guns used in the taxi killings.
He also called on the leaders of the taxi industry to deploy urgent interventions. “We urge taxi associations to advocate for peace and end violence by promoting dialogue as a means of resolving differences instead of resorting to violence,” said Moodley.
Sharon Hoosen, DA spokesperson on transport, said it was about time taxi owners were punished where they would feel it the most.
“Commuters who feel unsafe using public transport should use alternative safer forms of transport. Nobody’s safe any more, and until citizens rise up against our ineffective government, the situation is only going to get worse,” said Hoosen.