MEC may approach courts to resolve ongoing taxi violence in Ceres
ONGOING clashes over taxi routes in Ceres may soon end up in court for a solution, as Transport MEC Daylin Mitchell said he will seek an interdict against the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) for providing services without holding the required operating licences or permits.
The announcement follows a question by provincial standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) chairperson Lulama Mvimbi on what measures have been put in place to curb the ongoing taxi violence in the Witzenberg Municipality town.
In response, Mitchell said that some members of another taxi association joined the Cata grouping, using violence and intimidation to monopolise taxi routes.
“As things stand, the Cata operators are providing minibus taxi-type services, without the requisite operating licences. In this regard, the law must be enforced and the area must be rid of illegal operations.
“The impounded vehicles must not be released until these cases have been finalised. It is worth noting that no person may provide a public transport service without holding the required operating licence or permit, or contrary to the terms and conditions of the operating licence,” said Mitchell.
Cata spokesperson Mandla Hermanus said the association notes Mitchell’s statement.
“The MEC has not engaged Cata in this regard. We would hope for a constructive dialogue with the MEC to find a lasting solution to the violence and we do not believe the solution lies in the courts,” said Hermanus.
In 2019, four taxi operators were murdered in Ceres.
This was followed by a further six murders in 2020, and seven so far this year.
Mitchell added that there have been nine attempted murders.
“The ongoing violence cannot be attributed to regulatory failures. As mentioned, these are criminal actions. Notwithstanding this, there have been several regulatory interventions.
“The Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) has confirmed that there are no backlogs with regards to operating licence applications for the Ceres area,” he said.