Durban - Taxi violence in KwaZulu-Natal is showing no sign of abating, with associations engaged in shoot-outs over control of routes and taxi ranks.
Since the beginning of the year, at least seven taxi bosses have been killed in the province, including in Shakaskraal, Tongaat, Mobeni, Verulam, KwaMashu and Mandeni.
One of the province’s worst incidents took place in July last year when 12 taxi drivers were massacred on the R74 in Colenso. More than 250 bullets were fired during the ambush.
The latest taxi-related shooting took place in Mandeni, where four minibus taxis and two cars caught alight when their fuel tanks ignited during a 40-minute gun battle at a taxi rank on Monday night.
Sources at the scene told The Mercury that at least 500 spent cartridges were recovered. It is believed the shooting was linked to another one last month at the same rank, and the murder of taxi owner Siya Mbonambi two weeks ago.
A source who witnessed the incident said tensions had begun simmering earlier in the day.
“The atmosphere at the rank was tense. It was like something was going to happen later,” he said.
The man, who asked not to be named, said that after the previous shooting and Mbonambi’s death, taxi owners had hired bodyguards. He blamed the shooting on ongoing conflict between taxi owners.
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“There was a stand-off at about 2pm. The groups dispersed and it seemed to have calmed down. The police were at the rank, but they left. It started to get dark and guards from one security company were walking towards their vehicle. Suddenly someone shot at the light pole and it got dark - that is when the shoot-out started. Guards were firing at each other,” he said.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said no injuries had been reported.
“Six vehicles were burnt during the shooting. The motive for the attack has yet to be established and investigations continue,” said Gwala.
A source within the taxi security industry said the attacks were likely to continue at the rank.
“There will definitely be a reprisal,” he said, adding that the guards were shooting at each other with AK-762 rifles, which were more powerful than AK-47s.
“We are talking about firearms that were used in independence wars in Zimbabwe and Mozambique,” he said.
He said taxi violence in Mandeni dated back almost 30 years.
“The government does try to step in and intervene, but they want to shut down ranks and this is not a solution,” he said. He added that the associations were given permits to start ranks, but rival associations entered the fray and issues over routes and rank authority snowballed out of control.
KwaZulu-Natal Violence Monitor Mary de Haas said Mandeni, KwaDukuza, Kranskop, Maphumulo, Ladysmith and Estcourt were known hot spots for taxi violence, however in recent years taxi conflict had flared up around Durban, more especially in the Outer West areas of the city.
She said that a task team had previously been set up to investigate the industry.
“It had made arrests in more than half the cases under investigation, and had high court convictions.
“I had to fight with the provincial management to keep it going because they wanted to put it under another, dubious unit. One of the reasons was that they had charged a politically well-connected person,” she said.
De Haas said permits should be given for specific routes and should be adhered to.
“Those who operate illegally in areas where they are not permitted should be prosecuted,” she said.
She further called for security guards to be disallowed high calibre firearms.
Former KZN Hawks head, Major-General Johan Booysen, said there was no political will to tackle the root cause of taxi violence.
The MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mxolisi Kaunda, condemned the shooting at Mandeni.