Retreat residents have blamed an attack on a Golden Arrow bus on a taxi gaatjie, who they say wanted to force commuters to use taxis.
Two people were injured in the incident where a man threw stones at the bus in Seawinds on Tuesday.
According to commuters, the man is a taxi gaatjie from the Retreat Taxi Association but the association denies this and say they had nothing to do with the incident.
An unimpressed Retreat Taxi Association vice-chairman Sulaiman Brenner said: “Capricorn and Steenberg taxis also drop people here but it’s Retreat, Retreat, Retreat (that gets blamed)”
“When we want to raise concerns, we will make it known and not do things like this.
“That stone could have killed someone, we are not that reckless.”
Commuter Elaine Rahim said the 5.50am bus was stoned in Chad Road in Overcome Heights after people chose it over a minibus: “They wanted us to board the taxi but we opted for the bus as it drops us close to our workplaces compared to the taxi.
“While the bus was driving out, a stone was thrown into the windows and the broken glass injured two women who were sitting close to the window.”
Retreat community members lashed out taxis on Facebook, with some calling for the taxis to be stoned too.
One person wrote: “This isn’t on. People wanna get to work. But having to work just for travelling fair isn’t right. The buses get us to the nearest stop to work at least . All these taxis do is drop us off at the station. Then you get there, then the trains are delayed.”
Another one posted: “Looks like the taxis need to be stoned while there is no one in.”
Posted by Alicia Moore on Monday, September 21, 2020
Brenner admits that while there are “issues” between the association and Golden Arrow, they were not involved in the stone-throwing incident: “The lockdown affected the taxi industry badly, there are scenarios that the buses pick up people and drive them to the station for free.
“That is affecting the driver’s salary but this incident should not be directed at us.”
Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer says: “Golden Arrow can confirm an incident which occurred in Seawinds (yesterday) in which an unknown perpetrator, alleged to have been a taxi guard, pelted one of our buses with stones. Two minor injuries were reported and a case was opened with SAPS.”
Meanwhile, SAPS' FC van Wyk confirmed an investigation is under way with no arrests yet: "[The] incident occurred at about 5.50am. A malicious damage to property case has been registered."
velani.ludidi@inl.co.za