Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has called on Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s government to take immediate action to address ongoing violence between taxi operators and e-hailing drivers, which has claimed at least 60 lives since April.
The most recent incident involved the killing of an e-hailing driver during clashes at Maponya Mall in Soweto. The DA says the situation poses a serious threat to both commuters and drivers and requires intervention from national government.
The party is urging Premier Lesufi and MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale Tlabela, to work with Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to address the conflict. They have also called for the publication of regulations under the National Land Transport Amendment Act and the Transport Appeal Tribunal Amendment Act, as well as ongoing engagement with the taxi industry to address unregulated and informal operations.
According to the DA, intimidation by taxi drivers has turned many shopping mall pick-up points into “no-go zones” for e-hailing services, limiting commuters’ ability to choose their preferred mode of transport.
The party proposes increasing the number of anti-crime wardens in hotspot areas and enhancing cooperation with the South African Police Service to prevent further violence.
“Competition in the transport industry is normal,” the DA said, “but ongoing deadly clashes cannot be allowed to continue.”
The most recent incident involved the killing of an e-hailing driver during clashes at Maponya Mall in Soweto. The DA says the situation poses a serious threat to both commuters and drivers and requires intervention from national government.
The party is urging Premier Lesufi and MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale Tlabela, to work with Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to address the conflict. They have also called for the publication of regulations under the National Land Transport Amendment Act and the Transport Appeal Tribunal Amendment Act, as well as ongoing engagement with the taxi industry to address unregulated and informal operations.
According to the DA, intimidation by taxi drivers has turned many shopping mall pick-up points into “no-go zones” for e-hailing services, limiting commuters’ ability to choose their preferred mode of transport.
The party proposes increasing the number of anti-crime wardens in hotspot areas and enhancing cooperation with the South African Police Service to prevent further violence.
“Competition in the transport industry is normal,” the DA said, “but ongoing deadly clashes cannot be allowed to continue.”
