Taxi groups warn province

Shutting down certain routes, ranks will lead to escalation of violence

THE provincial government’s intention to shut down certain taxi routes and ranks without consulting affected groups would only backfire and result in an escalation of violence, taxi associations warned.

The warning came after Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant said he planned to publish his intention to close some routes.

This after the deaths of at least four taxi owners in three separate incidents. The murders are believed to linked to an ongoing taxi confrontation that started in Langa about two weeks ago.

Control of the lucrative Athlone route sparked the feud between two groups associated with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata). A Langa taxi owner was gunned down two weeks ago. His murder was followed by a double murder at the Langa taxi rank last Thursday. Nine people, including commuters aged 15 to 45, where wounded in the shooting. A day later another taxi owner was shot dead, this time in Philippi East. The police have made arrests in connection with two of the three shootings.

In response to the conflict, Grant said he intended to publish a notice declaring his intention to close certain routes.

“The closure of certain routes, not the entire Langa taxi rank, is intended to stabilise the area and ensure commuter safety. The route closure is also aimed at forcing opposing groups to seek solutions through means other than violence and killing,” Grant said.

However, representatives of the two biggest associations in the metro are vehemently opposed the proposal.

Cata spokesperson Andile Soyema said closing the routes would increase the violence.

“If routes are closed there won’t be any way to control operations. Who will monitor whom? This is not a solution at all. The existing model is okay. It is just that we need to have an annual general meeting with all stakeholders, where leaders are questioned on the operations in their branches or ranks,” he said.

Congress for Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) spokesperson Andile Khanyi said Grant should meet those involved and try to establish the root cause of the violence.

“He needs to meet with Cata and talk with them. Closing the route won’t solve any problems,” said Khanyi.

Grant said he spoke to taxi industry leaders and gave instructions for a number of legal processes to be initiated by his department, including the process that may lead to the closure of certain routes, as well as a process led by the Provincial Transport Registrar to call the affected taxi associations to an inquiry that may lead to the suspension of the association and/or its members. Soyema said he was not aware of this. “We are not aware of this, but we called a meeting for Tuesday (today) where all Cata-associated taxis and all Langa operators will engage,” he said.

Soyema said that often individuals in the association spoilt things for the entire association.