PEACE has finally been restored between warring taxi associations.
This comes after Police Minister Bheki Cele intervened and closed the profitable taxi routes in Mthatha.
Hundreds of taxis are back on the road, transporting commuters again after they were left stranded for over three weeks.
Cele lifted the taxi ban after association bosses agreed to sign a peace agreement in Mthatha on Friday night.The routes and ranks were closed to end the taxi violence that killed over 60 people in 18 months.
But at the signing, the minister warned that if just one person was killed, police would not only close the routes again but that taximen could kiss their businesses goodbye.
Taxi presidents Vuyani Mshiywa of Border Alliance Taxi Association and Ntsikelelo Gaehler of Uncedo Service Taxi Association agreed to maintain the peace and unity.
“We have to obey the law now.
“We owe it to the people we are ferrying,” Mshiywa said.
Cele said government will keep a close watch on taxi operators’ activities.
“We believe the document they signed is enough to work peacefully, if they stick with it.
“If they deviate from this, we will be there. If they kill one person, they must be ready to kiss their business goodbye.”
Provincial transport MEC Weziwe Tikana said only two ranks would now be used in Mthatha, one for local transport and the other for long distance trips.
The taxi bosses agreed to:
- Remove association stickers with immediate effect
- Report people who commit or provoke violence to the relevant law enforcement agencies
- Operate in taxi ranks controlled and managed by King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality
- Hold monthly meetings with the department to monitor the carrying out of the agreement and related matters.
Taxi owners who fail to stick to the peace agreement will be deregistered as operators, their vehicles impounded and their operating licences withdrawn.
Defaulters will face the full might of the law.
Cele instructed taxi bosses to call a joint owners’ meeting yesterday to brief them on the peace agreement.
