No arrests in alleged transport turf war

Tshepiso Mametela

Jeppe SAPS spokesperson Capt Richard Munyayi said no arrests had been made after a spat involving drivers of an e-hailing service and minibus taxi operators in Kensington.

This was after a large number of taxi drivers gathered on Roberts Avenue, allegedly threatening violence after a scuffle between an e-hailing driver and the driver of a minibus taxi on January 23.

“Reports suggest that several drivers linked to the passenger transport service allegedly assaulted an unknown taxi driver. A turf war brewing between a taxi association and drivers belonging to the e-hailing company could be to blame, but we cannot confirm this,” said Munyayi.

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He said no further incidents of violence or gatherings were reported since.

A resident of the area, Richard Francis, said he had seen several cars with the taxi association’s logo driving in the area since the January 23 incident.

At the time of publishing, Francis said the association’s cars were still in the area.

“These cars are just parked here and it doesn’t seem like anything at all is happening. All I’ve seen is the drivers of these vehicles sitting in their cars and either reading the newspaper or speaking among themselves,” said Francis.

“The situation is quiet at the moment,” said Munyayi.

“However, one side feels hard done-by by the other. The taxi drivers are accusing the e-hailing service drivers of fetching customers from taxi ranks, which they say is unfair and uncalled for.

Also read: Details remain vague over taxi gathering in Kensington

“They are saying that customers should be the ones to request a pick-up and not the drivers themselves who go to taxi ranks in search of customers.”

Munyayi said the incident stemmed from a pick-up at an informal taxi rank in Jeppestown before spilling over into Kensington.

At the time of going to print no comment had been received from the taxi association.