TAXI WAR BRINGS REIGN OF TERROR
THE suspects behind the shooting of a Golden Arrow Bus driver apparently pretended to be commuters before opening fire through the window and striking him in the face.
The incident has been linked to the ongoing taxi violence in the Western Cape which has claimed the lives of more than 80 people since January.
The driver is fighting for his life in hospital after being shot in the mouth while driving in the direction of Cape Town just after Borchards Quarry Drive.
Another driver who was metres away from the attack described how more than eight shots were heard, leading to many drivers fearing for their lives.
Golden Arrow Bus Services (Gabs) spokesperson John Dammert said the company would run a limited service in the wake of the shooting and further threats.
“Intelligence reports suggest that the incident appears to be related to the ongoing taxi violence. We are working closely with all law enforcement agencies to address the scourge of violence. The normal Gabs service schedule has regrettably been disrupted. Due to this disruption, reduced services will be operated to avoid any risks to the security and safety of passengers and staff.”
Dammert urged commuters to make alternative arrangements but declined to state the new operating hours or which areas would be affected.
The incident happened as police arrested two men, aged 45 and 55, who allegedly fired at passing motorists near the Langa taxi rank. They allegedly tried disguising themselves by pretending to be asleep when officers were searching for them.
“Metro police officers walked into a firefight at the Langa taxi rank when members attached to the Tactical Response Unit were dispatched to a taxi-related shooting at the rank. They arrived to find SAPS officers already on the scene and as they entered the rank on foot, they were fired at.
“Our officers weren’t daunted and continued their search for the shooters. They found two men pretending to be asleep in one of the taxis. The officers weren’t fooled and the two were arrested with two 9mm pistols and 16 rounds of live ammunition in their possession. Only one of them produced a valid licence,” said safety and security Mayco member JP Smith.
They are expected to appear in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court on attempted murder charges.
The tensions between Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) has also left commuters in the lurch as no agreement has been reached and talks continued last night. The two associations have been in conflict over the B97 Paarl-Mbekweni route on which many, including commuters, have been shot dead and others wounded.
Even Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula’s visit to the province at the weekend did not yield positive results.
Cata secretary Mandla Hermanus said the association believed criminal elements were taking advantage of the conflict.
“We have also seen a lot of threats being made via social media, voice notes and posters, as if from Cata, that seek to promote anarchy. We condemn these in the strongest terms. We have not instructed our drivers to engage in any criminal activity,” said Hermanus.
He said the taxi association would continue not to operate today. “After a series of meetings between Cata and Codeta, the two organisations have not been able to reach any agreement that would lead to the resumption of operations.”
Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi said the organisation was hopeful that a resolution would be found soon.
“The negotiations are slowly improving and things are not the way they started. When an agreement has been reached, leaders will go back to their members. We are urging people to stop spreading fake news that will endanger people’s lives. I received a message that the engagements were about to start at 10am when a brawl started and disrupted things, which is a lie.”
Mbalula said: “While we remain concerned about the state of the taxi industry and are attentive to the grievances of operators and drivers, we are resolute. Acts of criminality in the industry will not be tolerated. I continue to monitor the negotiations between Cata and Codeta.”
Premier Alan Winde said the violence had a severe impact on many residents.
Meanwhile, police have denied that they were sent packing at the Nyanga terminus rank and failed to protect commuters by disarming taxi drivers who were allegedly threatening and intimidating people.
This is after a number of commuters took to social media to complain about police boasting about protecting malls from looting while taxi drivers were allegedly stoning passing vehicles, intimidating Gabs drivers and threatening staff transport operating in the vicinity.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said police were conducting daily stopand-search operations as well as vehicle control points in and around the Nyanga terminus and the Nyanga precinct as a whole. “No police were sent away by the taxi operators. The cluster and station commanders also visited the operation at the terminus rank today (Monday). Early in the morning, police received reports of taxi operators who were harassing community members on their way to the buses, and they were also allegedly throwing stones at passing vehicles. Police responded and integrated forces were deployed in the vicinity of the terminus to curb the violence,” said Van Wyk.
FORMER Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu yesterday placed the blame for the Life Esidimeni tragedy – in which at least 144 mentally ill patients died after being moved to private facilities in 2016 – on Premier David Makhura.
In her opening speech on the first day of the inquest, and armed with one of the country's top advocates, Lawrence Hodes SC, Mahlangu told Judge Mnomoa Teffo that she was not responsible for the transfer of the patients.
“She acted on advice from medical experts of the Gauteng Health Department … The ultimate decision to transfer the mentally ill patients was taken by Gauteng Premier David Makhura,” Hodes said.
Meanwhile, former mental healthcare director Dr Makgabo Manamela and then Gauteng health head, Dr Barney Selebano, are being represented by counsel in the inquest.
Counsel acting for the Gauteng Health Department said the government would ensure that all relevant officials involved gave evidence.
Cassie Chambers, of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, was the first witness to be called in the marathon inquest, which kicked off in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, via virtual proceedings.
The judge will have to decide whether anyone's actions could be linked to the death of these patients.
Chambers said most of the facilities to which the patients were moved were not able to handle them.
She testified they went hungry, some had to share medication, and they did not have adequate clothing. In some cases, the NGOs did not even have a record of who the patients were.
Chambers said from the first time that they heard about the relocation, the SA Depression and Anxiety Group was worried and tried in vain to negotiate with the Gauteng Department of Health about the situation.
She said they wanted to work together with the provincial government to find a solution.
At first, Manamela assured that the mentally ill patients would receive good care at the NGOs to where they were being moved. As the organisation's concerns grew and family members were concerned about the relocation of their loved ones, Selebano warned that it should not question the transfer of the patients.
The organisation was so worried that it approached the court to have a curator appointed to manage the situation on behalf of the patients.
The department opposed this and instead agreed to consult with the organisation before relocating the patients. This undertaking was not honoured, Chambers said.
The decision to terminate the contract with Life Esidimeni was taken in September 2015. Between October 2015 and April 2016, about 16 patients per month were transferred from Life Esidimeni to NGOs.
Advocate Adila Hassim SC, on behalf of the families, quoted the findings made by retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke during arbitration proceedings: “This is a harrowing account of the death, torture and disappearance of utterly vulnerable mental health-care users in the care of an admittedly delinquent provincial government,” he said.
Hassim highlighted the key findings he had made, which included that the deaths that occurred were “not natural but caused unlawfully and negligently by the employees of the government.”
Three key role players were identified by Justice Moseneke – Mahlangu, Selebano and Manamela.
Justice Moseneke at the time said that they were warned of the consequences of the transfer of mental health-care users but they did not heed the warnings. He said the NGOs were incapable of providing the necessary care for these patients and the officials knew this.
Hassim said the court should take Justice Moseneke's findings into account. At the end, the NPA must decide who is accountable.
The matter is proceeding.