Taxi owner ‘hurt’ by Mbalula’s threats
THE Limpopo taxi owner and businessman who was allegedly threatened by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, said he was hurt by the minister’s remarks.
In a voice note circulating on social media, Mbalula was heard shouting at the Limpopo businessman and taxi owner popularly known as Malo-a-Botsheba (Stephen Sefofa) for branding his taxis “Hands off Ace Magashule”.
Speaking to The Star’s sister paper, the Daily News, Sefofa said he was “deeply hurt” by Mbalula’s remarks because it meant the minister would either use his connections to burn his fleet of cars, or hire assassins to kill him.
Sefofa said he had spent millions on ANC campaigns since 2017, supporting the party with his ANC-branded bakkies, taxis and trucks. Recently, he branded all his cars with Covid-19 branding, assisting the government to spread awareness about the virus – all with no compensation expected, he said.
In the voice notes, Mbalula was heard threatening Sefofa that his branded taxis would never reach Johannesburg because he was “inviting trouble”.
“The taxis you’re branding here must trouble the country, ‘Hands off Magashule’, ‘Hands off Msiza’. What are you trying to do?” asked Mbalula.
Sefofa was heard trying to plead with Mbalula, saying he loved the ANC and that he did not belong to any faction, but Mbalula dismissed Sefofa. He apparently threatened to stop lining up his branded taxis, asking him whose war it was.
“You’re inviting trouble in the way of doing nonsense and doing things that are against and anti-ANC,” Mbalula said. The minister was heard saying the ANC was bleeding and comrades were busy appearing in court, but Sefofa was busy branding his taxis.
He also questioned where Sefofa was receiving the money to brand taxis when he had seemingly told the minister he did not have money.
Mbalula placed Sefofa on hold before retrieving the call and continuing to harass him. Sefofa reminded Mbalula that he had never disobeyed Mbalula since 2017, when Mbalula would call asking for Sefofa’s bakkies to help campaign for the ANC.
Asking if he could personally go to Mbalula’s office and explain, Mbalula continued yelling, saying Sefofa must not go to his office.
Sefofa reportedly intends to write to President Cyril Ramaphosa and ask that Mbalula be disciplined and removed as a member of the Cabinet. “He can’t go around using his position to threaten people like that,” Sefofa said.
The National Taxi Association (Santaco) condemned the threats levelled against taxi owners, but also reminded taxi bosses not to brand taxis with political messages that may upset those who used their services.
Transport spokesperson Ayanda-Allie Paine did not respond to questions from the Daily News.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said no criminal case had been opened against Mbalula yet.