It is time that more focus is placed on the behaviour of taxis on the roads in Emalahleni.
Motorists are reaching boiling point with unruly taxis that make and break on the road as they wish.
On Friday, November 6 a motorist was stabbed in the arm when he tried to help another road user.
Mr Martin Engelbrecht needed stitches in his left arm after a taxi driver stabbed him.
Engelbrecht picked up the pieces of the incident,
“I watched as two taxis drove on the left hand side of Mandela Street just pass the Casino. As usual they were trying to squeeze in, in front of the car in front of me,” Engelbrecht said.
According to him the taxi in front slammed on brakes blocking the car in front of him for the taxis to pass.
“I thought that the bakkie had driven into the taxi in front of him, so I passed on the right hand side and saw the taillight of the taxi was broken. I stopped in front of the taxi and as I walked towards the taxi I heard a commotion and asked the driver what happened and questioned the reason why he stopped in the middle of the road.”
Engelbrecht said the taxi driver started swearing at him.
“His window was open so I put both my hands on his door and told him he is not leaving until the police arrive.”
The next moment the unthinkable happened. When Engelbrecht glanced sideways the taxi driver apparently pulled out a knife and stabbed him. Before Engelbrecht realised that he had been stabbed, the taxi driver jumped out of the taxi and made a run for it.
Mr Martin Engelbrecht had to get stitches after he was stabbed in the arm by a taxi driver.
Capt Eddie Hall, police spokesperson said a case of assault with the purpose to inflict grievous bodily harm is being investigated.
Mr Clive Hatch, former DA Mpumalanga Provincial Leader has been vocal about the lawlessness of taxis on the road since August 20.
“Municipal Manager, Mr Theo van Vuuren said the municipality would take action if illegal action was reported and substantiated with evidence like photographs. However at a later date he informed me that all the taxis that I had submitted were found to have false number plates,” Hatch said.
He said this is most disturbing considering that recently a driver was fined R20 000 for having a vehicle with a false number plate.
“I did advise Mr Van Vuuren of this however, I have seen no real action in this regard.”
He said it is common cause that visible policing is the most effective method of controlling crime and crime is what is being committed on the roads.
“The law enforcement officers should patrol Mandela Drive on a regular basis and be seen to be prosecuting drivers who break the road traffic ordinances. They must prove that taxis drivers are not protected game,” he said.
Hatch appeals to all drivers and especially their passengers to take photographs of all violations of the law that they see and forward them to clive.hatch265@gmail.com.
“Let us start a war against the criminals on our road and help to make Witbank’s road safe for all of us,” Hatch signed off.
The municipality was also approached about the taxi issue, but they have not responded by the time of going to press.
The local taxi association has also been contacted. Mr Willie Moloto, who serves on the board, said he will speak to Mr Dumisane Mathebula (secretary) and Mr John Mahlakwana (chairman) to open channels for discussion and converse about the taxi drivers.
