Long-distance coaches are constantly under attack across South Africa.
CAPE TOWN - Long-distance bus service Intercape has blamed the police for not preventing the ongoing attacks on their vehicles travelling from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town. In most recent incident two buses from Intercape and another company, Africa People Mover (APM), were attacked near Cradock on Monday morning.
In the past year, there have been more than 155 incidents involving long-distance buses ranging from intimidation and rock-throwing, shootings, and being prevented by taxi operators from loading and off-loading passengers, according to Intercape.
Intercape said out of 66 cases, no arrests had been made.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Tembonkosi Kinana did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
The bus company said: “The industry has enough evidence to support the allegations that elements within the Eastern Cape taxi industry are behind these specific attacks, however, it needs to be noted their terror attacks are not exclusive to the Eastern Cape.
“Long-distance coaches are constantly under attack across South Africa. These include open threats directed at our employees and businesses to cease operating in the Eastern Cape. Taxi operators also flagrantly intimidate our employees as well as passengers into not making use of long-liner buses, but instead to make use of minibus taxis.”
Intercape said the industry was aware of meetings involving the local minibus taxi industry where the term “cleansing” had been used to describe the campaign of terror directed at long-liner bus companies.
“The South African police force is responsible for the safety and security of every citizen of South Africa as well as every company operating within the borders of South Africa. Minister Bheki Cele and the rest of the police force must act immediately and do the job for which they get paid by taxpayer's money,” Intercape said.
Roads, Transport and Safety MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe said the Eastern Cape Department of Transport was dismayed at the attacks on long-distance buses.
Cape Times