Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, said it is worrying that despite people being regularly murdered in taxi violence, no one gets arrested by the police.
Image: File / IOL
Following a spate of taxi-related violent killings that has claimed 59 lives in Soweto, Gauteng MEC for Transport and Logistics Kedibone Tlabela-Diale has announced plans to shut down routes and ranks operated by two rivalling taxi associations for six months.
The announcement comes after three taxi marshals were killed in Mofolo on Monday, with the MEC stating: "It is better to lock down than continue to count dead bodies."
Speaking to women-led religious groups during a prayer session at the Uncle Tom's Hall in Orlando West on Thursday, the MEC said the province cannot continue to lose innocent lives and not act as it is empowered by law to act against the ongoing violence between Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association (Nanduwe) and Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (Wata).
"We intend to shut down the routes belonging to the two taxi associations for six months. We are still engaged in consultations to ensure we have alternative transport while engaging law enforcement... We are here to announce to the people of Soweto, Gauteng, and South Africa that we intend to close all the ranks where there is taxi violence.
"There is nothing we can do. We cannot do it alone. This battle is a tough one because this is done by faceless people and we can't point to anyone who has been arrested for this violence," she stated.
Concerned residents, mostly women, indicated that they too are concerned by the surge in taxi-related killings, with Lorcia Ngwenya saying: "As residents of Soweto, we too are affected by the taxi violence. You know, some of the people have become widows due to this violence and children have also become orphans. We are saying enough is enough."
Loraine Sifuba, a taxi business operator in the township, said no other life must be lost before something is done.
" As we met yesterday, we are saying enough is enough. Our lives and our businesses have had enough of this violence. We are pleading that there should not be another funeral after today. The blood that has been spilled is enough and as mothers, we have orphans without fathers due to this violence. Some of the orphans are now addicted to nyaope and other drugs because they do not know what else to do," she said.
Tlabela-Diale indicated that the province is still preparing itself for the eventuality of closing down all the affected routes and ranks, adding that even though she is still consulting with various stakeholders and communities who will be affected by her impending decision, she will not be swayed until the two associations agree to work together.
"First, according to the law, we must announce our intention to suspend the operations. We intend to close down all taxi ranks where there is taxi violence and conflict. This time, we are doing it for six months to allow ourselves time to ensure we resolve the issues for what they are and not what has been masqueraded as an issue.
"The other issue is to prepare ourselves accordingly with different stakeholders and communities with different transport alternatives. We have engaged other transport modes to prepare themselves. If they take us to court, we will meet there. They must understand where we are and where we are going, it is up to them to find ways of working together and merge their operations," Tlabela-Diale said.
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za
