United front against rioting and looting reinforced
The Lowveld Mall organised a small function at the main taxi rank in Hazyview on September 16, during which stakeholders of the mall and the three taxi associations gathered to reaffirm the promise of the combined stand against looting and riots.
The Lowveld Mall provided the taxi associations with resources at the function to withstand the unethical riots, should these return.
When the looting and riots occurred in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal in July, Lowveld Mall met up with the taxi associations in town to ask them their opinion of the situation.
The associations made a statement informing the mall that they were standing up against it, because the shops are where their main customers travel to.
An agreement was made that the mall and the associations would stand together to fight when needed.
The associations asked the mall to provide them with the necessary resources to be ready for defence. At the function held on Thursday, the mall gathered the associations, the stakeholders, the SAPS, traffic control, the local municipality and the chief representatives of the seven tribes that support the mall all together to give thanks for their supporting the idea of the teamwork.
Reflective vests and sjamboks were given to each taxi association as preparation for any possible attacks and to show that the mall takes the rise against riots seriously. Each association received 30 reflective vests and 30 sjamboks, but Peer Mkhonto, head of transport at the Lowveld Mall, promised that more would be provided.
New rules for the taxi rank and Hazyview’s taxi associations were released at the function, to demonstrate that the behaviour and professionalism of the taxi business are taken seriously in the town.
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“This initiative started on July 13 when the looting started, and we came together to develop solutions before we had to face serious looting,” said Mkhonto.
The SAPS, traffic department and City of Mbombela sent their representatives to the function to give support to the new rules for the taxi rank and the combined support from the mall towards the rise against riots. “Taxi associations are being formalised into a strategical business which benefits its community. Hazyview can be presented as the safest town in Mpumalanga,” said Col Sabelo Mlangeni of the Hazyview police.
Lucas Mdluli, representing City of Mbombela, stated alongside AE Fankomo, Mbombela Ward 1’s councillor, that the involvement of the community helps the police to prevent vandalism and crime in the town, and that they are grateful for the function and the new achievements the mall and the taxi associations developed together.
Mathebula Caiphus spoke as a single representative for all seven tribes at the function, giving thanks and showing gratitude to the mall and taxi associations for their teamwork. Caiphus also mentioned that the tribes would keep on supporting the mall and that they were together in all of this.
