No arrests made after taxi protest
A Mpumalanga police officer sustained serious injuries when protesters attacked him during the taxi operators' strike last week, September 28.
While the police are investigating multiple incidents of public violence, including an attack on a police officer, during the Lowveld taxi operators’ protest last week, efforts and talks to prevent another strike are ongoing.
Large parts of the Lowveld became a hub for chaos on September 28 when various Lowveld taxi associations began a large-scale protest against Buscor.
Many commuters were left stranded as major roads, and Buscor routes and depots were blocked off by the protesting operators.
A provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, said cases of public violence and malicious damage to properties were opened, after a bus was stoned and a truck was torched during the protest.
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“A police officer was also attacked with a bottle by protesters, and he sustained serious injuries. As a result he was rushed to hospital for treatment. No arrests were made in all these incidents, however, the investigation is still ongoing,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism released a statement saying the organisation and its alliance partners are working together to stop the protest action.
“During the past couple of weeks, it was nothing short of impossible for businesses to operate, due to road closures, protests and load-shedding,” said the statement.
“Together with our business chamber allies, the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Foundation for African Business and Consumer Services and ANCCI, we have met with the aggrieved communities or parties to engage and mitigate grievances.
“It is very clear that we as chambers are the liaison to communicate effectively between the government and the citizens, and we know exactly where to go with each issue. We are working to assist the community of Shabalala with its water and roads problems, and most recently,
we started engaging the taxi associations to see how we can help to prevent future protest actions.”
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Meanwhile, a few buses in Barberton and Masoyi were allegedly stopped by taxi operators on Tuesday, but were let go shortly afterwards, thereby having little to no impact on the bus routes and commuters.
The Lowveld taxi associations have distanced themselves from Tuesday’s incidents.
