KZN Transport MEC Mxolisi Kaunda yesterday (Thursday) announced the appointment of a mediator to facilitate peace talks within the taxi industry in Ladysmith – a long-distance hub that has been the centre of violent outbreaks that have repeatedly affected travellers from throughout the country, including Zululand.
He will be focusing his energy on two main associations – Sizwe Transport and Klipriver Taxi – who have been involved in violence and infighting regarding long-distance routes in and out of that town.
Four men linked to these two associations have died in the past week, MEC Kaunda heard while convened a meeting with security agencies in the affected area to receive a briefing on the latest incidents.
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‘We will continue intervening until we stabilise the public transport industry,’ he said.
‘We are disturbed by the latest killings and we view them very seriously, hence the formation of a newly-assigned SAPS team.’
He reiterated that the findings by the SAPS task team and the independent mediators would be presented to the provincial executive council, and that government would ‘not hesitate to take decisions’ guided by the law.
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