Mayor lends hand to slain CBD taxi driver’s family

Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa has responded to the pleas by the widow of the taxi driver killed by alleged drug peddlers in Pretoria CBD last week.

Mpho Letsane had said she was struggling to cope without her family’s breadwinner Jabulani Baloyi and pleaded for financial assistance which resulted in Mokgalapa committing to donate an immediate intervention of R100 000.

“The city will continue to engage the family and help them navigate this sudden loss of life,” Mokgalapa said.

“Losing Jabu has devastated this family. We lost a very good person, a hard-working person. This commitment means Mokgalapa cares enough to invest in the future of this family,” said family spokesperson Hlamanani Baloyi.

Mokgalapa reiterated his commitment to providing security to residents of Tshwane and condemned the senseless killing of Baloyi who was allegedly shot dead by a foreign national he had confronted for apparently selling drugs at Bloed Street taxi rank.

She described Baloyi, who was laid to rest on Sunday, 1 September, as a caring man who loved his family.

“I knew him for more than 23 years. My husband was a caring man… a man who loved his family,” she said.

Letsane thanked community members for the support they had given to her family through this time.

She said she did not know how she would cope with raising the children as a single mother.

“I am going to struggle alone and my children might end up not going to school because I am the only one now and where I work is a temporary job.”

She pleaded with the government to help her get a job so she could support her family.

“My firstborn is a student at Unisa and he is now going to have to drop out because I do not have money to take him to school,” she said.

Mokgalapa and Tshwane transport MMC Sheila Senkubuge visited the Baloyi family on Tuesday afternoon.

“The visit was also an opportunity to provide a progress report on steps taken by the joint steering committee formed to address criminal elements in the CBD,” said Mokgalapa.

Mokgalapa said that the committee was set up to ensure ongoing collaborative efforts between the taxi industry, law enforcement and the Tshwane metro in addressing various safety concerns across the city.

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