On 16 October 2021, four minibus taxis were torched in Johannesburg near Carlton Centre while six other minibus taxis were damaged following a dispute between drivers from the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (WATA) and the Nancefield Dube West Association (Nanduwe). This was followed by two other minibus taxis being damaged in Soweto.
Today, three of the seven suspects are appearing in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on charges of malicious damage to property. The three were arrested yesterday in Johannesburg CBD to bring the total of people arrested to seven.
The other four people, arrested on various dates, have already appeared in court and they were all given bail. Sibusiso Nxumalo was arrested for the Johannesburg case of malicious damage to property and assault GBH and he is due to appear again in court on 17 November 2021.
Bonginkosi Kananda and Nkosi Oliphant were arrested for the Orlando case of assault GBH and theft. They will be appearing again in court on 22 November 2021.
Bhekamakhosana Rodgers Gama on the other hand was arrested for a Moroka case of malicious damage to property and assault GBH. He is due to appear again in court on 19 November 2021.
The violent incidents are believed to have culminated from tensions over routes between the two associations. Two drivers were assaulted on 15 October 2021, followed by the Johannesburg torching and damaging of minibus taxis and then the Soweto with two more incidents of damages to minibus taxis.
These seven arrests are the results of Gauteng’s Anti Taxi Violence Unit that is working hard to identify the people that are involved in taxi violence in order to bring about order and stability in this industry to ensure commuter safety.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has commended the team for effecting the arrests. “I am happy with the progress that we are making in bringing to book people that have no regard for other people’s wellbeing and property. We will never allow a situation where people go around severely assaulting others and damaging their sources of income just because they are failing to resolve their conflict amicably,” said Lt Gen Mawela.