POLICE BOW TO THUGS

IF THE deadly attacks on long-distance buses tell us anything, it is that the government is no longer in control and has submitted to a group of thugs in the transport industry.

Ask the Intercape bus drivers living in fear of not returning to their loved ones – they will tell you of the sad state of affairs of having to constantly look over their shoulders.

In addition to the fact that one of its drivers was shot dead, Intercape has 69 cases pending relating to attacks on its buses.

The Eastern and Western Cape have 61 and eight cases respectively, yet no one has been arrested in the Eastern Cape.

And despite being extorted of more than R100 000, allegedly by the thugs in the taxi industry, incidents targeting bus operating companies, especially Intercape, include attempted murder, stoning and other assaults and the intimidation of bus drivers, and obstructing roads.

The bus company has fallen victim to these attacks mainly because it does not belong to any long-distance coach organisation, as it refused to give in to the demands of the taxi industry.

Its situation is exacerbated by the belief that some authorities are bowing to the demands of the taxi industry after the company was allegedly advised to accede to their commands, including not operating on certain routes.

The police’s lack of urgency in attending to these complaints does not inspire confidence, especially for a service that is largely used by those who are unable to fly to their destinations.

It appears they have thrown in the towel, even before trying to stop these senseless attacks.

If the culprits are known to originate from the taxi industry, what is stopping Police Minister Bheki Cele and his Transport counterpart Fikile Mbalula from confiscating their operating licences?

Surely, this has to be the immediate intervention until a permanent solution is found and the perpetrators are arrested, tried and convicted.

To say these attacks undermine the country’s efforts to provide safe and reliable public transport would be an understatement.

This state of affairs cannot be allowed, unless we have already slid into being a failed state.