MBOMBELA – Recently a Mbombela resident had a run-in with a taxi operator when he attempted to pick up a hitchhiker on his way to Komatipoort.
He recounted his experience to Lowvelder, which happened in July.
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“There is a taxi patrol vehicle, owned by one of the taxi organisations, which drives in and around Nelspruit. Its purpose is to scout for any person who attempts to pick up any travellers on their taxi routes,” explained the concerned man, who wishes to stay anonymous for fear of his life.
The victim did not receive feedback to his satisfaction from the police and proceeded to arrange a meeting on September 3 with the DCSSL MEC, Gabisile Tshabalala.
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The meeting was confirmed by spokesman for DCSSL, Moeti Mmusi.
He assured the newspaper that the taxi violence problem was receiving the full attention of the department and that a follow-up meeting will be held in future when all the role players can attend.
The victim described the series of events.“I slowed down to pick up a person well known to me when suddenly a yellow Toyota Corolla pulled up in front of me at the pick-up point, adjacent to Orchards Shopping Centre.”
“The driver got out and yelled at me that I am ‘pirating’. I tried to reason with him, but he dragged me out of the vehicle and took me to the taxi rank, where they proceeded to beat me with their fists and sticks.They accused me of stealing the taxi operators’ clients.”
He opened a case of assault and car hijacking at Nelspruit Police Station.
He had to approach top-ranking police officials in order to receive assistance from Nelspruit Police Station in retrieving his vehicle from the taxi rank.
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Brig Leonard Hlathi, the provincial spokesman for SAPS, confirmed that a case was opened by the victim during July.
He emphasised that the police had met with the taxi operators to discuss the alleged criminal activities.
“We have been consulting with the taxi people, together with the Department of Transport as a collective. To take someone out of his car by force and tow the vehicle is a serious crime and we encourage people to come forward and open a case of robbery.”
He explained that the police have cautioned the taxi operators to not engage in these unlawful activities.
“We do not condone these criminal activities and arrests have been made.”
Hlathi also implored hitchhikers and travellers to not get into other people’s vehicles, as there was a recent incident in Mbombela in which a man and woman were kidnapped on the R40.
“The woman was brutally raped and the man was robbed and killed,” Hlathi said.
