Taxi violence: Interdict granted to restore order in Joburg CBD

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport obtained an order interdicting violence between the Witwatersrand African Taxi Owners Association (WATA) and the Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association (Nanduwe).

The interdict order, granted by the Johannesburg High Court, states the “chairpersons and their members are interdicted from preventing, obstructing, or interfering with the rights of taxi operators”.

This includes taxi operators active between Soweto and the Johannesburg CBD.

The order follows after WATA accused government of being the cause of the violence in the CBD on Saturday.

Taxi violence in Johannesburg

WATA versus Nanduwe

Four taxis were torched and six damaged, while two taxis were set alight in Soweto. As reported previously, the violence was due to rivalry between WATA and Nanduwe.

Operations were suspended after several taxi owners were assaulted during the uprising; some have now opened cases of malicious damage to property.

The transport department approached the court on an urgent basis over the weekend to ensure the South African Police Service (Saps) are authorised to step “take necessary steps.”

Urgent meeting

MEC for Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo urged authorities to “enforce the law, hold criminals accountable and secure the safety of commuters and other road users”.

He said all parties involved agreed to “urgently address the root cause of the violence, which are disputes over routes.”

“We believe that problems in the industry are not insurmountable and that through negotiation and consultation, we will create a taxi industry of the future,” said Mamabolo.

The MEC and taxi associations agreed to further negotiations during the week.

Previous incidents

Incidents of taxi violence also erupted in Hammanskraal earlier this month. Also in the Western Cape, warring taxi associations Cata and Codeta reached a ceasefire back in August.

At the time, Saps members were deployed to Mew Way in Harare, Cape Town, after three people were shot and killed while a five-month-old was wounded.

WATCH: Four minibuses burnt in Joburg CBD as taxi violence flares up again