Intercape the ‘most targeted’ bus group

A TOTAL of 69 violent attacks on long-distance buses took place in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape in the current financial year, national police top brass told MPs.

To date, no firearms have been found, though 80 suspects have been traced. There are two cases before Eastern Cape courts and four cases of intimidation being probed by police in the Western Cape, where there have been two arrests – one for murder and one for attempted murder.

This emerged during deputy commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili’s presentation of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure’s stability report before the tourism portfolio committee.

She said bus-related incidents mainly include malicious injury to property, intimidation, assault, attempted murder and murder.

“Statistics show that Intercape is the most targeted company, it accounts for 69 cases registered for 2022/2023. Eastern and Western Cape provinces have registered 61 and 8 cases respectively,” Lieutenant-General Mosikili said.

These incidents took place despite numerous informal meetings between long-distance bus owners and taxi bosses in both the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.

“Bus companies were subjected to paying the expenses for the meetings, such as the cost of flights,” said Mosikili. She said the main issues raised in the meetings were bus fares, limitation of buses travelling between the two provinces and protection fees.

Mosikili said Intercape experienced the “more serious shootings” since July.

“It is alleged that the taxi industry has threatened acts of violence should their demands as outlined not be complied with,” Mosikili said.

Intercape chief executive Johann Ferreira has lodged a complaint with President Cyril Ramaphosa, calling for urgent intervention to stop the violence against long-distance buses.

Mosikili said detectives, crime intelligence and provincial operations co-ordinating committees and visible policing units, bus companies and the National Prosecuting Authority were working together on the matter.

She said Crime Intelligence was working on early warnings and coming up with analysis, while detectives were tracing suspects and prioritising Prevention of Organised Crime Act, racketeering and money laundering cases.

Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile said provincial police were in constant communication with the Eastern Cape police.