The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety is deeply concerned and outraged by the escalating taxi violence plaguing the Province, particularly in Katlehong, were reports indicate that 11 taxi operators were brutally gunned down in March alone.
This senseless bloodshed, allegedly stemming from violent disputes over routes between rival taxi associations has created an atmosphere of fear and instability, putting the lives of commuters, operators and innocent bystanders at risk.
The Committee has noted with grave concern the latest incident in Soweto, where three taxi marshals were shot dead yesterday in what appears to be another targeted attack.
Such brazen acts of violence undermine the rule of law and threaten the safety of communities relying on the taxi industry for daily commuting to and from work as well as various destinations.
The Committee strongly condemns these killings and calls for the Gauteng SAPS to intensify visible policing, intelligence led operations and swift arrests to dismantle the criminal elements fuelling this violence.
A formal request has been made by the Committee to the Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni to provide a detailed progress and status report regarding investigations into the recent spate of taxi related killings in the Gauteng.
The Provincial Government should also prioritize interventions that address the root cause of conflict including engaging all stakeholders in the taxi industry to find lasting solutions.
The Committee further calls on the Department of Roads and Transport to mediate urgently between rival taxi associations ensuring that disputes over routs are resolved peacefully and within the framework of the law.
The continued loss of life in the taxi industry is unacceptable and Government should not allow criminality to dictate the operations of a sector that is the backbone of public transport in Gauteng.
The Committee believes that the people of Gauteng deserve safe and reliable transport, free from violence and intimidation and will continue to monitor the situation by requesting the Provincial Police Commissioner to provide regular updates on what SAPS is doing to restore peace within the taxi industry.
ISSUED BY GPL’S MEDIA SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY, HONOURABLE BANDILE MASUKU
