R3.5m grant the root of taxi killings, Oscar told
Taxi boss tells premier Mabuyane not to take sides Santaco splinter group leader says money fuelling deadly violence in province
A Santaco faction led by prominent taxi operator Gabs Mtshala has called on the Eastern Cape government to withhold a grant paid to the industry to keep its operations afloat.
The annual grant of R3.5m, meant to ensure stability and sustainability in the industry, is paid through the provincial leadership of the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco), which is now deeply divided.
The organisation has now split into two splinter groups.
Santaco B is led by Mtshala and Santaco A is run by Zola Bishop Yolelo and his deputy, Sandile Sifolo.
Mtshala, who survived a shooting outside the transport department offices in East London last year, said the grant was the root cause of the violence that had claimed the lives of more than 30 people this year.
Mtshala made his demand after Amaxhosa king Ahlangene Vulikhaya Sigcawu arranged for the two warring taxi groupings in the Eastern Cape to meet at the Regent Hotel in East London last week in a bid to end the feud.
The two groupings are now united in rejecting the task team that was appointed by premier Oscar Mabuyane in August to mediate.
The six-member task team, led by Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa, had been given three months, effective from September 1, to sort out the problems.
The two groups want the task team disbanded.
In a strongly worded letter to Mabuyane, Mtshala wrote: “It has also come to our attention that you have met with our opposition and promised to release the grant that is due to the taxi industry, regardless of our plea not to do so.
“We do not have a problem with you meeting them; however, we have a serious problem with the release of the money to them.
“Releasing the grant while we are busy [addressing] the situation will derail the peace process, and again you will be fuelling more killing, as it is publicly known that since the funds were stopped by MEC [Xolile] Nqatha, people are no longer killed.
“The reason it is easy for everyone to participate in the process is that there is no money to finance taxi violence and it has been proven that ever since the money was frozen there have been no taxi killings.”
Mtshala asked the provincial government not to take sides in its attempt to end the violence.
“Premier, we are again requesting you to remain neutral, do not take sides, let the peace process take its course, do not fuel violence, do not finance these individuals called Santaco, pending the resolutions still to be taken at our peace meetings.
“Money is the root of all our problems.
“Please, we ask you in the name of peace, do not give money to any of the taxi organisations or taxi council.
“Let Santaco A and Santaco B be dysfunctional pending the outcomes of the peace meetings.”
Mtshala said Mabuyane’s task team had failed to mediate in the violence.
“It cannot be overemphasised that the panel you appointed to bring peace failed dismally.
“They never bothered to meet us, we do not know anything about them except for their phone calls cancelling the meetings.
“Also terminate the services of your panel as the train has already left the station, and we are past the bleeding period.
“Bringing new people on board would mean we will have to revisit the sad past that we are dying to forget and move forward.”
Speaking to the Dispatch on Monday, Mtshala said his letter to Mabuyane had been acknowledged. “We are awaiting their response and we believe they are working on it.”
Sifolo, who said he was unable to comment on the contents of Mtshala’s letter, agreed that the task team had failed.
“We are not even interested in it any more.
“It was never helpful.
“The peace process facilitated by King Sigcawu is the one we are interested in now. All we want is peace and we are committed to the process.”
In a reply to the Dispatch, Mabuyane confirmed receiving Mtshala’s letter and said it was being attended to by relevant officials in the provincial transport department.