By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Police Services (SAPS) in Gauteng are monitoring the protests outside Maponya Mall in Pimville, where residents have blocked roads with rocks, preventing minibus taxis from operating after an e-hailing driver was killed and his vehicle torched.
According to police, suspects opened fire on the e-hailing vehicle at the mall’s entrance.
Fullview understands the incident is linked to ongoing tensions between taxi and e-hailing operators.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said, four armed men opened fire on a driver at the mall entrance before torching his vehicle, while another e-hailing car nearby was also shot at and set alight.
Nevhuhulwi said that as a result, one person was declared dead and two were injured after unknown suspects attacked e-hailing vehicles.
A case of murder, attempted murder with two counts, and arson is opened for further investigation,” Nevhuhulwi stated.
Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela described the latest incident at the mall as senseless, unacceptable, and a direct threat to the safety and stability of the public transport system.
“It’s a very tragic affair. We received a report that there has been a violent incident here at Maponya Mall, which resulted in a loss of life and two injuries. Police need to get to the bottom of this heinous act,” she said.
“The SAPS and JMPD are on the scene to monitor the situation. The incident is suspected to be taxi violence related,” she said.
Several summits and indabas have been arranged to solve the warfare in the transport sector in Gauteng. A 2019 summit concluded with a commitment to peace, but a permanent solution to the matter remains elusive.
Regulation in the taxi and e-hailing sectors has been a major issue, which was also broadly dealt with by the Taxi Violence Commission and in its report, released in February 2021.
Both the taxi industry and e-hailing drivers have complained about the lack of regulation in the e-hailing sector. In March 2022, e-hailing operators went on a three-day strike over the government’s failure to regulate the industry, as well as low wages and safety issues.
The long-awaited National Land Transport Amendment Bill, which aims to regulate the e-hailing industry, is yet to be enacted into law. Parliament has passed the bill and sent it to President Cyril Ramaphosa for approval following its tabling before Parliament in April 2016.
In a separate incident, a police officer and five inmates have been killed in a crash on the R101 between Mokopane and Mookgophong in Limpopo.
Provincial police spokesperson Hlulani Mashaba said the police officer accompanied inmates to court at the time of the crash.
“Eleven inmates from Mukopane Police Station [were accompanied] to attend court in Naboomspruit,” said Mashaba.
Provincial Department of Transport and Community Safety spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene has advised motorists to use alternative routes.
“For motorists travelling from Mokopane to Mookgophong, please take the N1 from Zebetiela Weighbridge on R101 as an alternative route. If you are travelling from Mookgophong to Mokopane, use the Mookgophong on and off-ramp. Please expect delays and plan your routes accordingly.”