Public hearings into taxi violence continue

Taking the stand at the inquiry yesterday, Gauteng department of roads and transport acting chief director for registration and operating licensing Modise Sojane said the focus of his directorate was to democratise and monitor the election processes of taxi associations.

“The acting chief director’s testimony talked to the historical context of the provision of public transport services by the minibus taxi industry in the Gauteng province and how the law regulating the taxi industry has evolved over time; and how the minibus taxi industry is structured, governed, managed and regulated,” said Koena Moabelo, the spokesperson for the commission.

Sojane said the registration and regulation of associations and operators for all modes of public transport was an important point of focus and the overall aim was to achieve an effective administration, implementation and management plan of all operations pertaining to the public transport industry.

“This is done by registering operator details in the Gauteng department of roads and transport’s database known as the Registration Administration System,” said Sojane.

Sojane was the second witness to take the stand since the proclamation of the commission last year by Gauteng Premier David Makhura who set up the commission of inquiry to investigate the underlying causes and people behind the ongoing killings in the taxi industry across the province.

The first witness to testify was Gauteng MEC for public transport and roads infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo, who took the stand on 5 December 2019 and gave a synopsis of his encounters with warring taxi associations.

The commission is chaired by Justice Jeremiah Buti Shongwe, with Rudolph Lungile Mabece and Hlula Msimang.

The idea behind the commission was conceived and committed to by Makhura last year July during the second Gauteng Taxi Summit.

Moabelo said the commission’s aim was to minimise public transport conflicts by reducing taxi-related violence by talking to industry stakeholders, passengers and groups or institutions representing passengers and dealing with complaints and concerns of passengers and operators.

Early last year two taxi associations were reported to be in conflict – the Witwatersrand African Taxi Owners Association and Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association, which led to commuters being left stranded after some routes in the township were closed.

During his testimony in December, Mamabolo said they were negotiating with institutions of higher learning in the province to provide teaching and learning to interested taxi associations.

He added that a taxi academy would be formed to assist in preventing taxi violence.

“The taxi academy will also broaden the economy of the taxi industry,” said Mamabolo at the time.

Members of the public, community organisations, minibus taxi associations, drivers, operators, conductors and rank marshals who want to give evidence can contact the commission.

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