The president of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), Motlhabane Tsebe, has said the taxi industry is under siege from criminal elements.
Tsebe addressed the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday following the killing of a 27-year-old e-hailing driver at Maponya Mall last week.
Four unknown men allegedly killed the driver, torched his car, and injured two other people in the attack.
Although many blamed the taxi industry for the violence, Tsebe insisted that criminals were behind the killing.
“We must admit this criminality that is committed in our name. We humbly ask for prayers in the community as we are facing infiltration by criminals as we are cleaning up the industry,” he said.
Zero Tolerance for Violence
Tsebe stressed that Santaco has a zero-tolerance approach to violence.
“Santaco will immediately expel any operator, driver, or member involved in the attack or any act of violence. This is not just a talk shop; it is a promise. Enough is enough,” he said.
He urged communities to report law-breaking taxi operators to the police.
“Violence is a crime and crime has no place in the taxi industry and the South African community,” Tsebe said.
Support for the Victim’s Family
Tsebe revealed that Santaco would assist with funeral arrangements for the slain driver.
“I sent my team to speak to the family, to ask them if they would give us that right to take the body from Gauteng to KZN and also to bury the body,” he said.
He confirmed that the industry would cover the undertaker’s costs.
Prayer Day Planned
Santaco is planning a day of prayer at Maponya Mall after the funeral.
“We also spoke to Soweto ministries because we need divine intervention in this regard. We are sending a team to the hospital to check on those still recovering, and then after that, we will do a prayer day at Maponya Mall,” Tsebe said.
Tsebe noted that the outrage directed at the taxi industry comes as Santaco prepares to test a cashless system for paying taxi fares.
Can Santaco’s zero-tolerance stance restore public trust in the taxi industry?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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