The JMPD reported that a taxi was torched, but did not confirm to which association the taxi belonged. Picture: JMPD (Facebook).
Yet another spat is believed to have occurred between two of Soweto’s major taxi associations, Nancefield-Dube West Taxi Association (Nanduwe) and Witwatersrand Taxi Association (Wata) on Wednesday, at the intersection of Mahalefele Road and Mncube Drive in Dube, Soweto.
In a statement, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) said operators were suspected to be protesting against law enforcement deployed by the Gauteng MEC for Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, to control the long-standing taxi dispute between the associations.
Earlier reports indicated that a taxi owner and driver were assaulted, and a minibus taxi was torched on Klipspruit Valley Road near Orlando Stadium, the JMPD said.
JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla told Jozi FM News that law enforcement managed to control the situation.
“The situation is calm at the moment and officers have been deployed to monitor Mahalefele Drive and Mncube Drive in Dube, which remains off, including Klipspruit Valley Road in Orlando.
“Motorists can use alternative roads, such as Klipspruit Valley Road, Nancefield, Soweto Highway and Chris Hani Road,” said Fihla.
According to Jozi FM News, a witness told how a taxi they occupied, under Nanduwe, was attacked by certain drivers. The commuter explained that their driver managed to escape the scene.
“When they approached our taxi, they started shooting at us and pelted the taxi with stones. We managed to escape to a safe place,” said the witness.
The Star sought comment from the taxi industry’s mother body, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), and the MEC’s office, including the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport. However, these attempts were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
The Star