South African National Taxi Council President Abnar Tsebe says their organisation will expel any members found to be engaging in violence against other transport operators or the public in general.
Speaking during a SANTACO media briefing in Johannesburg today, Tsebe said the organisation has zero tolerance for violence and will further assist the police in maintaining order in the transport industry and will support the full prosecution of violent members.
He says SANTACO will help transport the remains of Siyanda Mthokozisi Mvelase, an e-hailing driver who was shot and burned at Maponya Mall, to KwaZulu-Natal and also assist with the burial costs.
Tsebe says peace-making efforts are being made with metered taxi and e-hailing transport operators and going forward they will share space at Maponya Mall in Soweto.
SANTACO is also working on measures to professionalise the industry and improve customer service.
Chairperson of SANTACO affiliate, the South African Meter Taxi and E-Hailing Association, Sibongiseni Shayi is urging e-hailing drivers to join them in efforts to unify and improve the services.
At the same media briefing, SANTACO reiterated that no taxi patroller has been given permission to collect cash, a fine, or impound private vehicles on the road.
Tsebe said some of these patrollers are taking chances on extortion and law enforcement agencies need to support them in fighting such criminal acts.
He has also expressed SANTACO’s zero tolerance for violence and committed to expelling operators that are found to be engaging in violence against other transport operators or the public in general.
He says some of the law enforcement officers are part of the problem because they own taxis, and taxi organisations don’t even get reports from the police when such incidents happen within the taxi industry.
Tsebe says there are CCTV cameras at Maponya Mall but to date, there is no report and nor has anyone been arrested in relation to taxi violence.
