Taxi task team aims to resolve escalating violence

The City, together with the Western Cape Government, has joined hands with the taxi industry to find a way forward on the M18 route, which runs between Mfuleni and Somerset West.

The Mini-Bus Taxi Task Team (MBTTT) met to discuss the deadly conflict between the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) and the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata).

The feud has already resulted in the deaths of seven taxi operators, with four more wounded, including an eight-year-old child and a passenger.

On Thursday, the task team held a meeting at the Durbanville Conference Centre.

In a statement, the task team said: “We held a special meeting amid conflict that flared up between operators in Somerset West and Mfuleni in the past weeks.

"While the circumstances bringing the committee together are deeply troubling, the session proceeded with meaningful engagement, as the situation was reviewed from the historical context to where things stand today, and potential scenarios for a mutually agreeable and positive way forward.

"Resolving this complex matter is a process, and stakeholder representatives have committed to continued discussions to find a resolution as soon as possible over the next week. The immediate priority is to see services and calm restored in the Somerset West and Mfuleni precincts, while solutions are sought.”

The MBTTT said it remains united in its commitment to the safety and mobility of commuters and will continue to engage consistently in the coming days to find common ground once more.

The MBTTT comprises representatives from the City, the provincial government, and the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) Western Cape.

On June 6, four people were killed and three injured when two unknown gunmen stormed a Codeta office at a taxi rank in Mfuleni.

Western Cape Deputy Provincial Commissioner Major-General Bongani Maqashalala said they suspect the killing was linked to the ongoing conflict over the route. He added that police have identified hotspots and deployed additional officers to those areas.

The following day, a taxi boss was killed in Strand, and an eight-year-old was wounded in the violence.

On Monday, a stand-off between operators and police led to the impounding of taxis after Victoria Road in Somerset West was blocked off.

Later that day, a taxi driver was gunned down in Langa.

On Tuesday, another taxi operator was killed in Lwandle, Strand.

Cape Times