Soshanguve residents have expressed their concerns about so-called taxi muggings that have reportedly been happening in the area.

Residents claim that a group of men, sometimes accompanied by a woman, driving what looks like a white local Toyota Venture, has been robbing unsuspecting passengers.

The residents also claimed there was a red Venture and a white Toyota Quantum that had been involved.

A victim, Lerato Ngobeni, said she was coming from block M when she stopped what looked like a local taxi, only to fall victim to a mugging.

“I was with a friend and I had my phone and laptop at the time. I got inside the taxi and did not suspect anything.

“There were four men and one woman in the taxi. After I settled, one guy sitting at the back and another sitting in front took out guns and demanded all my belongings.”

Ngobeni said she learned after they dropped them off in Buitekant Road that the other woman who was in the taxi was also a victim.

“They asked us if we have money to take another taxi and we said no, then they gave us R50.

“The lady told me they had been driving around with her while withdrawing her money. She told me they demanded her to log onto her banking app to see how much money she has before stopping at various garages to withdraw the money.”

Ngobeni said this experience has made her fear taking a taxi and has caused her huge inconvenience when it comes to her school work.

She said although the incident happened last week Friday, she is yet to open a case.

“Every time I see a Venture taxi driver with a cloth mask, I just think maybe this is the person that mugged me.

“I am a student at Unisa and the laptop they took had all my assignments. I had to write one of my assignments from the start by hand. I do not know how I will get over the fear of taxis.”

Another victim from block DD, Thabo Sebola, said he also got into a taxi in the same area and a similar thing happened to him.

“When I got inside the taxi there were three men and one lady. The guy sitting in the front seat and the guy sitting at the back took out guns and demanded everything I have.

“They also forced me to log on to my banking app. We later stopped at the garage near Giant stadium. The lady went to withdraw all my money. When she came back with the money, they just told me to get out.”

A woman on Facebook on Tuesday wrote that she got into a white taxi in the same area only to be mugged later on.

“Inside the taxi there was the driver, a guy, and one lady who was sitting at the back. The driver then asked to drop the lady in block L clinic and I agreed. When we were on our way there, they took out a gun and the lady started searching me,” she said.

“They took all my money and phone and demanded a PIN to my bank card. They went to the garage next to the stadium and parked a bit further away from the garage. The woman went to withdraw all my money. They then dropped me off. I had to walk home from there.”

Chairman of Soshanguve taxi owners association (Sotoa) Mackeed Mogale said they were aware of rumours about people getting robbed in taxis and they want to encourage them to come forward to help curb this.

“It is disturbing our business and we are losing customers because of such acts.

“I want to plead with residents to come forward so we can also involve the police and get these people. I also have children and it would not be nice if they were robbed inside a taxi that belongs to an association that I am a chairperson of.”

Mogale said chairmen of various taxi associations from the north of Pretoria will meet on Thursday to discuss a way forward in curbing the robberies in taxis.

Soshanguve police station refused to comment on the issue.