Three vehicles burnt, four damaged at Maponya Mall

Three vehicles were burnt and four others damaged at Maponya Mall in Soweto on Thursday evening during an alleged attack on e-hailing vehicles by minibus taxi operators.

Three people were taken to hospital after the incident, with one of them wounded in a shooting, allegedly by minibus taxi drivers.

According to the Gauteng transport and logistics department, the incident followed an alleged confrontation when minibus taxi drivers allegedly attacked e-hailing drivers.

Two of the burnt vehicles are said to have belonged to an e-hailing operator, while one belonged to a private person.

Transport and logistics MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela condemned the attacks. 

“We condemn these senseless attacks on individuals and damage to vehicles. These acts are unacceptable and must be dealt with harshly. We will not be deterred from building an integrated and modern public transport system by individuals who use intimidation and violence,” she said.

“We wish those injured a speedy recovery and call on law enforcement officials to apprehend those involved in this barbaric attack. They should face the full might of the law.”

The MEC said her department has made significant strides to root out violence in the public transport sector after the 2019 Gauteng taxi summit and in line with the recommendations of the taxi violence commission.

After recommendations by the commission, amendments were made to the Gauteng Public Transport Regulations Entity 2011 to introduce alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in the public transport service industry, putting the government at the forefront in resolving taxi disputes and promoting stability.

“We call on public transport operators to use the arbitration office to resolve their disputes,” Diale-Tlabela said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said police are investigating a case of attempted murder and malicious damage to property.

“Police cannot [yet] confirm the identity of the victims and whether they are e-hailing drivers, pending an investigation,” Nevhuhulwi said.

“No suspects are arrested yet. The police [are] maintaining a presence in that area to ensure stability and safety for commuters.”

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