A bus driver suffered head injuries, and a number of vehicles were torched at the Nyanga bus terminus last week after law enforcement impounded illegal Avanza taxies, commonly known as Amaphela.
Four Golden Arrow buses, as well as private and State vehicles were among those burned and stoned on Thursday August 25. The incident resulted in scores of commuters being stranded and having to find another way to get to work.
MEC for Mobility, Daylin Mitchell, condemned what he described as criminal acts. “These actions are completely unacceptable, purely criminal and will not be tolerated. We will not compromise on the safety of commuters and citizens,” he said.
He added that the Western Cape government would use all powers at its disposal to take action against anyone involved in “public violence, arson, intimidation, or any other criminal acts that impact on the safety and dignity of public transport users and citizens”.
Mr Mitchell said: “We must defend the constitutional order and uphold the rights of commuters and other stakeholders. I will not stand by and see this thuggery continue. I hope justice will prevail.0
He also thanked SAPS’ Public Order Police for their swift response to the incident.
Golden Arrow spokesperson, Bronwen Dyke-Beyer, said the driver had been injured when one of the vehicles was set alight on the corner of Eisleben and Sheffield roads.
She called on authorities to increase law enforcement, to ensure the of safety Golden Arrow passengers and its staff and also condemned the incidents.
“This brazen violence is unacceptable, and we call on the authorities to fulfil their mandate to ensure the safety of our drivers and passengers. It’s important to contextualise these incidents. It’s not only Golden Arrow that is affected when this type of criminal activity erupts, other vehicles are also targeted,” she said.
She continued: “In addition to this, it is the community members who are hardest hit as they cannot get to work or school. This is so much more than a Golden Arrow issue, it’s a societal issue.
“There are no interventions that we can put in place that could replace the work that needs to be done by the South African Police Services and government. The authorities cannot simply shift their constitutionally mandated responsibilities onto businesses and the public.
“The only solution to the scourge of crime is holistic, long-term interventions which include visible policing, sophisticated intelligence gathering, arrests and convictions,” she concluded.
The Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi has distanced his organisation from the recent burning and stoning of buses.
Mr Sityebi said it was “heartbreaking” that when such incidents occurred, fingers were pointed at the taxi industry. “We are facing a problem of crime where we live. Our taxis are hijacked but we cannot accuse anyone and yet when other things happened, the killings, burning of buses we are the first accused. We are also looking for answers on the torching of buses and our taxis being hijacked,” he said, also condemning the recent incident.
Affected commuters also called on authorities to fight the criminals.
One commuter from Philippi said he had had to walk to the N2 to get transport. “I do not know why they are torching buses and private cars. When these things happen, buses and trucks are always on the receiving end. This has to stop. We also have to assist in fighting these criminals. I am seething because I had to walk a long distance,” he said.
Another one said authorities should clamp down harder on criminals. “There’s too much freedom in our country. That is why we are allowing this to happen. Police or soldiers need to fight fire with fire and see what will happen at the end. We can’t be ruled by thugs like this,” he said.
Despite numerous efforts, Vukani was unable to get a response from a representative of the Amaphela taxis.
