A tense atmosphere followed the torching of 20 taxis at Nyanga taxi rank at the weekend.

An internal fight for leadership in the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) is believed to be behind the incident, which saw 16 Quantam taxis and four minibus Sprinters being set alight.

When Vukani visited the taxi rank on Monday, taxi operators assessed the damage amid heavily armed security.

Provincial chairperson of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), Mandla Hermanus said for the last two years Cata’s leadership had been embroiled in internal fighting.

He said they believe this could be at the centre of these taxis being burnt. They had been engaging with Cata’s leadership to help bring peace and stability to the organisation and thought they had succeeded.

However, he said they were shocked to learn about this incident.

“The taxis that have been burnt belong to one organisation. For the last two years the organisation had been having problems and we suspect that this could be a culmination of those problems within the organisation.

“We are going to have a meeting with the leadership of the organisation to see if they think there could be an individual that could be behind this. At the core of this problem is who must control the association and the monies of the association.

“Early last year we lost 11 drivers due to this internal fighting and lost four taxi operators including a woman who was the secretary of the association.

“We suspect that the challenge is within the leadership structure of the association,” he said.

Mr Hermanus has assured commuters that their safety is a top priority.

He said about a month ago a fight broke out between armed security forces which belonged to the same executive, leading to one security guard losing his life. It had been quiet since then.

He said members of Cata are paralysed with fear and no one wants to say anything as they fear being targeted.

One taxi operator who refused to be named, fearing for their life, said when they arrived at the scene on Sunday night, they found one of their new taxis set alight.

The taxi operator said their drivers park the vehicles at their homes or at the rank because it is usually one of the safest places for them to park.

Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said additional police has been deployed to the Nyanga taxi rank.

She said 18 taxis were set alight on Sunday and two had been torched a day before.

A case of arson is being investigated by police and no arrests have been made.

The deployed forces will remain in the area until calm is restored.

South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) provincial chairperson, Mandla Hermanus, said internal fighting in the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) could be to blame for the torching of 20 taxis at the weekend.

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Taxis torched as internal dispute rages