The recent senseless ambush and massacre of 12 Johannesburg-based taxi association drivers, while travelling between Colenso and Weenen, has sparked outrage in the province.
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This heinous crime presents the potential for retaliatory action from the affected taxi association, which does not auger well for the efforts made to date to bring about a sense of sanity and stability in an industry riddled by factional violence. The Democratic Alliance (DA) extends its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased who not only lost loves ones but also breadwinners.
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We also welcome the commitment by the National Commissioner of Police to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators within 72 hours. They must face the full might of the law.
Taxi violence has already claimed far too many lives. The number of incidents here in KwaZulu-Natal during the past 11 months bears testimony to this.
With more than 200 000 taxis currently registered in South Africa, the sector has become a multi-million Rand industry, reportedly carrying 60 percent of all commuters going to work, school and other places. It is mainly those who belong to lower-income groups who use minibus-taxis for transport.
It is also these members of our society that are forced to face the brunt of the taxi industry’s often toxic and violent behaviour with their lives are placed at risk daily.
Surely the time has come for government to employ extraordinary measures in order to restore calm and stability in an industry that remains largely unregulated while plagued by lawlessness and killing for control of lucrative taxi routes and competition for passengers.
Taxi-related violence is compromising the socio-economic well-being of our country. The lives of innocent commuters and other road users must be protected. Government can no longer allow this industry to remain a law unto itself. The blood-letting must stop.
Rafeek Shah, MPL
DA KZN Spokesperson on Transport
