The findings of the Commission of Inquiry into taxi violence in Gauteng will be released in Johannesburg on Thursday.
It had been set up in September 2019 to investigate the underlying causes of taxi-related violence that left scores of people dead and wounded.
During its public hearings, the Inquiry heard testimony on fighting over routes and leadership squabbles between various taxi alliances.
The inquiry also probed the involvement of government and police officials in the taxi business.
Poor police investigations have also been cited for the low prosecution rate of those behind the taxi violence.
Gauteng’s Taxi Violence Task Team overwhelmed by taxi violence killings
In September, Gauteng Police Commissioner Elias Mawela was called before the Commission of Inquiry into Taxi Violence in Gauteng to account for hundreds of unresolved taxi-related murders.
This followed revelations by retired Lieutenant General Vinesh Moonoo, the commission’s investigator, that 505 taxi-related murder cases, dating back to 2012, are still pending.
President of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), Phillip Taaibosch, said when taxi operators are killed, in most cases, the suspects are never found.
In October 2020, the commission heard that members of the police’s Taxi Violence Task Team in Gauteng tend to focus more on cases with a high possibility of conviction.
This was revealed by Commander Mohamed Bayat.
Bayat said they are overwhelmed by the number of taxi-related killings.
Bayat added each of the 12 investigators has to tackle about 70 cases on their own.
