The Democratic Alliance called on Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to step in and put an end to mounting taxi violence in Tembisa.

The party issued a statement following this morning shootout at Esangweni Rank in Tembisa between rival taxi associations which claimed the live of a woman and left two men seriously injured.

“Today’s violence is the result of rivalry between the Tembisa and Midrand taxi associations. This morning’s incident is not isolated,” said Phillip Thamahane, DA Lethabong Constituency Chairperson.

In February this year, The Tembisan reported a 60-year-old taxi owner was shot and killed at the corner of Mooi River and Maraboe streets in Norkem Park.

Shortly before the February incident, the Tembisan reported taxi owners in Tembisa and the surrounding areas signed a peace agreement at the Kempton Park Civic Centre after the Ekurhuleni Regional Taxi Council intervened in the fight between different taxi associations in the area.

“It is clear after today’s events and other sporadic incidents over the past few months that this agreement has not been successful.  Due to the ongoing violence, commuters have said they are scared to make use of taxis and that the turf was between rival associations is having an affect on their ability to get to work and keep their jobs,” said  Thamahane.

“The Ekurhuleni municipality has a responsibility to ensure the safety of commuters and must step in and put an end to this violence.”

Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Lesetja Mothiba announced last week that the provincial SAPS has set up a task team to deal with the taxi violence in the province. He also stated that he had told Transport MEC Ishmael Vadi that one of the main reasons for the violence was the taxi industry has become saturated and that it needed to be better regulated by the provincial government.

“The DA calls on the Ekurhuleni metro to call for an urgent meeting of this task team in order to discuss the current conflict in Tembisa and to help facilitate a resolution between the rival taxi associations,” said Thamahane.