Mdantsane e-hailing driver claims taximen held his car ransom

Violence and intimidation between e-hailing drivers and members of rival taxi associations have escalated in Buffalo City, with increasing reports of violence and extortion.

On Thursday, a car belonging to a Mdantsane Bolt driver was allegedly held ransom by members of the Uncedo Taxi Association in the area, who demanded that he pay them R3,000 to get it back.

The driver, whose name is known to DispatchLIVE, said he had been stopped by four men wearing Uncedo reflector vests who assaulted him when he refused to give up his car keys.

“I was on the way from picking up a client when those men stopped me and demanded I hand over my car to them. I quickly turned off the car and put the keys in my pocket and that’s when they choked me until I gave them up.”

Fearing for his life, the Bolt driver approached police in Mdantsane, where a case of assault was opened.

He said he went to the Uncedo taxi operators with the police hoping he would get his car back but left empty-handed.

“The taxi guys initially demanded that I pay R1,500 to get my car but when I came back with the police they doubled the amount to R3,000. I do not have any money to pay them.

“The police said there was nothing they could do if they didn’t want to give me my car back and suggested that I pay the money.”

He said he was disappointed that the police were scared of taxi drivers.

“The police told me they didn’t want to get into trouble with the taxi drivers. I was at the police station for hours waiting for them to get my car but they gave me the runaround because no-one wants a confrontation.

“All I want is my car because I don’t think it’s safe with them.”

Uncedo deputy president Velile Makatesi said the association could not intervene as no formal complaint had been lodged.

“There’s no conflict that I’m aware of between Bolt and the association. I’ve been in the transport industry for 30 years and I don’t even know about this Bolt.

“If the Bolt people want to talk, they can approach the transport department and organise a meeting or simply go to the police if they feel violated,” Makatesi said.

Several Bolt operators in the city claim they have been harassed and assaulted by taxi operators.

In the Nyandeni municipal area, taxi drivers in Ntlaza near Libode have been accused of forcing passengers out of private cars and into taxis.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana told DispatchLIVE that the police had engaged with the parties involved in the dispute but a meeting that was scheduled for Wednesday had been postponed to Friday.

“A case of common assault was opened at the police station and is under investigation. No arrests have been made at this stage. Police have recovered the complainant's vehicle and handed it back to the owner,” said Kinana.

DispatchLIVE