Cele: ‘Hitmen don’t work for free’
The minister raised concerns about the alleged R14-million that is made by taxi associations monthly in Ugu and Harry Gwala Districts.
Police Minister, General Bheki Cele told taxi associations in the Ugu and Harry Gwala districts that the hitmen who allegedly kill taxi operators are paid for by the taxi operators themselves.
Cele said hitmen do not kill for free.
The minister was speaking at the Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre during a taxi industry stakeholder meeting with taxi owners and concerned roleplayers within the Ugu and Harry Gwala Districts.
The consultative meeting followed a series of taxi-related crimes where a number of which taxi owners were either killed or injured.
Cele said from January to July this year, a total of 24 people died due to violence in the taxi industry in the two districts.
He added that five were killed from January 2021 to July 2021.
“We are hearing taxi operators saying they are afraid of driving home, yet they know exactly what is happening. You are cowards during the day and you are heroes at night. These hitmen do not kill for free, you know who hires them as taxi operators,” said Cele.
He then asked all the taxi operators at the meeting to raise their hands if they have hired more than one hitman. No hands were raised.
Cele said taxi operators must stop ‘acting innocent’ when it comes to the violence because they know who is behind it.
The minister also raised concerns about the alleged R14-million that is made by taxi associations monthly in Ugu and Harry Gwala Districts.
He said these taxi associations collect R100 from each taxi, making about R14 million per month money, which is not receipted or taxed.
He said there are a total of 17 taxi associations within the Ugu district. He added that he will send a special team to investigate the killings in the industry in the area.
“We are tired of the bloodbath and this has to be brought to the table and discussed. We are putting together a team which will assess the industry. You will work with us and if you don’t, Sars will know how you got rich. We will know how you generated your wealth and police officers who have a hand in this violence will be arrested,” he said.
Acting MEC for Transport, Community Safety, and Liaison, Jomo Sibiya, said the meeting was an eye-opener. He said government has a huge task on hand to ensure peace in the taxi industry.
Sibiya said what is painful is that if there is no peace in industry – there are men and women who have lost spouses.
“Where there is no peace, there is anarchy, and where there is no peace, criminals thrive. As government we are willing to work with anyone in the taxi industry who wants peace. This meeting is the beginning of the end of the problems we face,” said Sibiya.
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