More than 60 taxi bosses and operators were killed in the Eastern Cape between 2015 and last year and this could be linked to a lack of capacity from police intelligence unit to deal with taxi violence.
This was revealed by safety MEC Weziwe Tikana in a parliamentary response to DA MPL Bobby Stevenson.
Stevenson asked Tikana how many people had been victims of taxi violence since the 2015-16 financial year.
Tikana said in this time 28 deaths were reported, while in 2016/17, 32 cases were reported.
The deaths mostly occurred in the Buffalo City Metro, OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole regions.
The major reasons for the killings are fights over operating routes, unregulated taxis known as amaphela, office bearer positions, taxi rank ownership and permits.
Tikana said: “The province has a minimum capacity to deal with taxi violence.
“Crime intelligence is a national division, which is centrally capacitated by human and physical resources.”
She said officials and members were taken to courses to improve their skills in terms of collection and analysis programmes.
Stevenson said he was concerned about the high number of people killed as a result of taxi violence.
“Crime intelligence is critical in this regard and I appeal to the MEC to put pressure on the national department to fill the vacant posts in the Crime Intelligence Unit in the Eastern Cape,” said Stevenson.
Tikana said the areas where taxi violence would most likely flare up were Khowa , Maclear and Zwelitsha.
Asked whether her department had taken any steps to stop the violence, Tikana said a multi-disciplinary taxi task team had been formed.
She said crime intelligence, organised crime, public order policing, her transport department and other law enforcement agencies were involved.
Tikana also said a number of taxi ranks were closed as one of the measures to stop the bloodshed, but these were reopened days later.
“The taxi ranks that had been closed were Ntlaza in Libode, Circus Triangle in Mthatha, Qokolweni in Mthatha and Port St Johns taxi ranks, she said.
“Meetings were held with taxi owners, the department and the police. Focus in terms of deployment was more on R61 that is problematic from Port St Johns to Mthatha,” said Tikana.
Stevenson said commuters should be protected at all times. – bonganif@dispatch.co.za
More than 60 killed in taxi violence
This was revealed by safety MEC Weziwe Tikana in a parliamentary response to DA MPL Bobby Stevenson.
Stevenson asked Tikana how many people had been victims of taxi violence since the 2015-16 financial year.
Tikana said in this time 28 deaths were reported, while in 2016/17, 32 cases were reported.
The deaths mostly occurred in the Buffalo City Metro, OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole regions.
The major reasons for the killings are fights over operating routes, unregulated taxis known as amaphela, office bearer positions, taxi rank ownership and permits.
Tikana said: “The province has a minimum capacity to deal with taxi violence.
“Crime intelligence is a national division, which is centrally capacitated by human and physical resources.”
She said officials and members were taken to courses to improve their skills in terms of collection and analysis programmes.
Stevenson said he was concerned about the high number of people killed as a result of taxi violence.
“Crime intelligence is critical in this regard and I appeal to the MEC to put pressure on the national department to fill the vacant posts in the Crime Intelligence Unit in the Eastern Cape,” said Stevenson.
Tikana said the areas where taxi violence would most likely flare up were Khowa , Maclear and Zwelitsha.
Asked whether her department had taken any steps to stop the violence, Tikana said a multi-disciplinary taxi task team had been formed.
She said crime intelligence, organised crime, public order policing, her transport department and other law enforcement agencies were involved.
Tikana also said a number of taxi ranks were closed as one of the measures to stop the bloodshed, but these were reopened days later.
“The taxi ranks that had been closed were Ntlaza in Libode, Circus Triangle in Mthatha, Qokolweni in Mthatha and Port St Johns taxi ranks, she said.
“Meetings were held with taxi owners, the department and the police. Focus in terms of deployment was more on R61 that is problematic from Port St Johns to Mthatha,” said Tikana.
Stevenson said commuters should be protected at all times. – bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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