Ramaphosa visits slain taxi driver’s family, vows to keep taxi ranks safe

President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed that the government will work together with the National Taxi Association (NTA) to curb the scourge of violence and xenophobia.

Ramaphosa was speaking to the media after he visited the home of slain taxi driver Jabu Baloyi in Soshanguve, Pretoria on Friday.

He said government engaged with the NTA which voiced its concern over the safety of commuters in taxi ranks.

“The NTA they said to us they would like to see police being more active. The justice system in our country needs to go up another gear to make sure places like transport nodes, taxi ranks are properly secured that police are always there to secure people.”

Ramaphosa said the taxi association also expressed their concern over muggings at taxi ranks.

He added that taxi ranks must be a safe place for women and security needed to be tightened around these transport hubs.

He said it was the responsibility of the country to ensure that women were safe, and urged citizens to say no to gender based violence.

“The issue of violence that was perpetrated in our areas here, the taxi association told us very clearly they are against xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals.”

Ramaphosa said issues raised by the association would be attended to by government.

Baloyi was shot and killed in August allegedly by a foreign national in Pretoria.

Baloyi’s death caused days of violence after local taxi operators started clashing with foreign nationals to avenge their colleague’s death.

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