Pretoria - Several gunshots rang out as crowds of people watched at least two vehicles being torched outside the Maponya Mall in Soweto in the long-running turf war between taxi operators and e-hailing cab drivers.
The incident apparently happened on Thursday night, and the police in Gauteng said they are probing the incident before issuing an official statement.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, South African E-Hailing Association’s spokesperson Vhatuka Mbelengwa said the violent incident is part of the decade-long debacle.
“It will never really be clear (regarding the assailants), but the general assumption would be that it is the local taxi players that sit at the rank there. I am very cautious as to blame somebody or identify the assailant. I leave that to law enforcement,” said Mbelengwa in an interview.
“I can tell you to, however, expect more eruptions like this all over the country. The frustration of the transportation industry, the taxi industry is going to gain expression through such acts over the next few weeks.
“I think all participants should be more alert and be safe,” he said.
In the circulating videos, some people appear to be assaulted, while others are seen running for dear life. In another video, a group of men are seen vandalizing a supposed e-hailing cab vehicle, and the two vehicles are seen on fire.
This incident happened @ Maponya Mall after 5pm, 01 June 2023.
— E-Hailing Partners Council-EPCO🇿🇦 (@EhailingCouncil) June 2, 2023
Our officials managed to arrive by 7pm & met the center manager whom didn't have full details either. 4 cars affected (touched & vandalized) & drivers assaulted & one shot.
We are attending to the matter to intervene pic.twitter.com/18rQ7oWE2F
Mbelengwa said the decade-long violence is a result of government’s failure to regulate the transport industry, allowing for all role players to operate in a safe ecosystem.
“I think what happened is essentially what has been happening. Our government has failed to create a healthy ecosystem within transportation where the different participants can complement each other instead of compete with each other,” he said.
“As a failure of government to deploy a price determining instrument within the e-hailing industry, the Bolt and Ubers of this world have undermined the traditional transportation industry, the traditional taxi industry, and the pricing is set to compete directly with that segment of public transportation, which makes no sense.”
In one of the videos, a man is hit on the head with a knobkerrie, and he runs off. The group of assailants then smash the two vehicles.
IOL