Transport authorities have launched a joint task team to deal with taxi-related violence and will be forming a special unit to lead prosecutor-guided investigations.
This comes after a spike in taxi-related violence in the province.
MEC for Mobility, Ricardo MacKenzie, has approached the National Prosecuting Authority and SAPS to work on a strategy to help combat the scurge in the industry.
“The minibus-taxi industry has over the years been marred by incessant incidents of violence stemming mainly from over-trading, the monopolisation of taxi routes, a proliferation of illegal operators, turf battles and route invasions,” he said. “This has resulted in damage to property and the loss of human lives.
“The Western Cape Mobility Department is aware of some 555 taxi-related cases including murders and attempted murders committed between 2019 to 2022.”
In June, the chairperson of the Codeta-Paarl Taxi Alliance (Pata), Siyabulela Mandyoli, was gunned down in front of his house in Paarl.
His death came a month after taxi operator Tony Africa, who had been driving along the Plain/Park route for decades, was murdered in full view of his passengers on the corner of Duinefontein and Govan Mbeki Road intersection.
Prior to this, Sizwe Khobocwana, the chairperson of Route1 Wynberg/Claremont, was gunned down in front of his home in Kuils River in April.
MacKenzie said that even though extraordinary measures like the suspension of routes, the de-registration of taxi associations and members and the cancellation of several operating licences had been taken, it still hasn’t provide solutions to the persistent violence.
“It is clear that we cannot use our limited regulatory powers to deal with criminal actions,” he added.
This is why he called on both SAPS and the NPA to prioritise taxi-related cases in terms of time and resources.
“This was done in order to stabilise the taxi industry and to demonstrate to our citizens that there are consequences for violent and criminal conduct. Only successful convictions will stop or significantly reduce violent incidents in the taxi industry,” MacKenzie explained.
“As a result of this meeting, it was agreed upon to strengthen our relationship through the formation of a joint task team and the formation of a special unit.”
Shareef Edwards, chairperson of the Plain/Park Taxi Association, said while he welcomed the announcement he feels that government should stop painting all taxi drivers with the same brush.
“The government needs to thoroughly investigate, especially who the perpetrators are that’s causing violence.
“They are quick to say it's taxi-related violence even if it's a robbery, they must stop pointing fingers and making statements without proper investigation,” he said.