Stanger woman fined for using “taxi routes”

Taxi intimidation continues after a Stanger woman’s vehicle was impounded and she was heavily fined, allegedly by taxi bosses.

However criminal cases against the culprits are still not being opened, say police.

The businesswoman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she owned minibusses that she rented out for private lift clubs.

She claims to have been extorted twice by different associations for “infringing” on their routes.

“A group of workers travelling to Umhlanga hired my vehicle which they use to get to work every day. They have hired a driver who they pay for and they also pay for fuel. In January, the driver was threatened by the Umhlanga taxi association and told that he needed to pay a monthly fee to travel on the road.

“On Friday, my vehicle was impounded by the Umhlanga taxi bosses and I was summoned to their offices in where I was told that I needed to get permission from the KwaDukuza taxi association for my vehicles to travel and that I needed to pay both associations R1000 a month for using their routes.”

She said she paid the Umhlanga association R1000 in January, which they issued her with a receipt for.

She has since been trying to arrange a meeting with the KwaDukza taxi association.

The incident was reported to Umhlali SAPS and transferred to Durban North SAPS. The woman said she felt helpless, as she had previously been targeted in Ballito.

“Last year I got a message to contact the Dolphin Coast Taxi Association. They asked for R35 000 and said I could pay them off at R5000 a month. I eventually stopped allowing my vehicles to be used in Ballito.”

Over the past three weeks, motorists have reported being pulled over by taxi drivers and VIP taxi security on the R102 and N2.

Last month a local bakkie driver who was travelling in a company vehicle was pulled over on the R102 by a man believed to be a taxi driver from the Dolphin Coast Taxi Association.

The victim was told that he had to pay a R2000 fine for travelling on the road and if he did not, his vehicle would be set alight.

South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) regional chairperson Bongani Mkhwanazi condemned the acts and said they were not aware of the incidents.

“We encourage people to report these cases. We will be in touch with the various associations to discuss these problems.”

Umhlali SAPS spokesperson captain Vinny Pillay said cases of carjacking could be opened if taxi owners took it upon themselves to impound vehicles.

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