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Joburg taxi violence: Three more suspects arrested for damage to property
Last month, four taxis were torched and six damaged in the Johannesburg CBD.
Picture File: According to police, a preliminary investigation revealed that the victim had what appeared to be gunshot wounds on the upper body. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Three more suspects have been arrested in connection to the recent taxi violence in Johannesburg and Soweto.
Last month, four taxis were torched and six damaged in the Johannesburg CBD, while two taxis were also set alight in Soweto.
During the chaos, operations were suspended as two drivers were assaulted.
The violence was a result of the ongoing rivalry between the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (WATA) and the Nancefield Dube West Association (Nanduwe) over routes.
WATA has blamed government for causing the violence.
Suspects nabbed
The South African Police Service (Saps) in Gauteng has since arrested a total of seven suspects.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said three suspects would be appearing in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on Friday.
The three suspects, who are facing charges of malicious damage to property, were arrested on Thursday in Johannesburg.
ALSO READ: Taxi violence: Gauteng urged not to give same routes to different associations
Muridili said the other four suspects, arrested on various dates, had already appeared in court and were all granted bail.
- Sibusiso Nxumalo was arrested for the Johannesburg case of malicious damage to property and assault grievous bodily harm (GBH). 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.
Peace deal
On 22 October, Gauteng transport and roads infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo met with the two associations, where the parties involved agreed to a ceasefire.
At the time, Mamabolo said a peace deal had not yet been signed.
However, the MEC said a lasting solution had been reached, with the deal expected to be sealed.
The Gauteng government has obtained an order interdicting the violence between the two associations.
Santaco in Gauteng previously urged the provincial government to avoid giving the same routes to the associations.
Cape Town violence
The City of Cape Town continues to be plagued by taxi violence with the latest incident saw an office administrator aligned with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) gunned down last week Wednesday.
The deceased, Mlamleli Cetyana, was killed after two unknown suspects entered Cata’s regional office at the Nyanga taxi rank under false pretence, City Vision reported.
Two other taxi operators sustained gun wounds and were rushed to hospital.
According to Nyanga police spokesperson Captain Ntomboxolo Sitshitshi, a murder case has been opened and the shooting is under investigation.
READ MORE: Cape Town taxi violence: Arrests made but we want the kingpins – Mbalula
Meanwhile, Cata secretary Mandla Hermanus dismissed suggestions the Cape Organisation of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) may have been behind the incident.
Back in August, Cata and Codeta reached a ceasefire.
The ongoing taxi industry-related violence in Cape Town has left more than 80 people dead since January this year due to a dispute between the warring taxi associations, who have been fighting over control of a route between Paarl and Mbekweni.
Additional reporting by Cheryl Kahla
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