The taxi industry has accused e-hailing drivers of eating into their customer base.
The MEC of transport in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Siboniso Duma, has praised the province’s police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for bringing peace to KwaDabeka, a township near Pinetown, where tensions have been escalating between taxi drivers and e-hailing drivers.
This comes after two e-hailing drivers were shot on Wednesday in the area during alleged confrontations with taxi operators.
In a media statement on Thursday, Duma also praised Mkhwanazi for apprehending some taxi drivers and owners in connection with the attacks on the e-hailing drivers.
“We wish to commend Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, his team, our provincial regulatory entity and metro police for the decisiveness.
“In particular, we welcome the arrest of between 10 and 15 suspects in this morning’s operation.
“They have ensured that there is peace and stability in KK Section in the interests of peace-loving people in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Duma.
Maponya Mall incident
Duma said the provincial government wanted to avoid similar incidents of taxi violence to those which occurred at Maponya mall earlier this month.
This comes after a 27-year-old e-hailing driver was killed and burnt inside his car by four unknown men who are believed to be linked to the taxi industry.
Two more people were injured during this incident.
“Yesterday (Wednesday) I offered to work with KZN Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi to ensure that the unfortunate scenes that we witnessed in Maponya Mall are not repeated in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.
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MEC to be briefed on investigations
Duma said he is expecting a briefing from Mkhwanazi about the type of operation his team had conducted on Thursday and the reasons for those who have been arrested in connection with the attacks on e-hailing drivers.
“We remain committed towards ensuring the co-existence between e-hailing drivers and taxi drivers,” he said.
Mediation by the provincial government
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Thursday, Duma’s spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said there are mechanisms in place to help e-hailing drivers and taxi drivers resolve their differences.
“We are faced with the evolution of the public transport industry. We now have the e-hailing industry, which is coming in, and the taxi operators; they feel that their business is being threatened, that is why there is this tension.
“The MEC has offered to work with them so that we are part of the evolution of the transport industry,” he said.
Sibiya said there must be co-existence between all members of the public transport industry.
Taxi industry infiltration
Meanwhile, in a press conference earlier this month, the president of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), Motlhabane Tsebe, denied that the taxi industry is violent.
He blamed the attacks of Uber and Bolt drivers on criminal elements that have infiltrated the taxi industry.
Santaco also offered to contribute to the funeral of the driver who was killed at Maponya Mall.
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