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Govt to investigate murders related to taxi violence in Mthatha

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The police in the Eastern Cape have established a task team to investigate the murders related to taxi violence in Mthatha.

Five people, which include one passenger, have been gunned down over the weekend. A number of people were also wounded in the shootings.

The taxi violence in the area erupted last year over the R61 route between Mthatha and Libode.

The Uncedo Taxi Association and Border Alliance Taxi Association are vying for passengers on the same route.

The violence has claimed more than 30 lives up to this point.

Transport MEC in the Eastern Cape, Weziwe Tikana, had to intervene and halted all taxi operations at Circus Triangle Taxi rank in 2017.

The agreement was then reached between the two associations and operations resumed in January 2018.

But the killings have flare up again.

The OR Tambo Regional Taxi Council peace negotiator, Zola Yolelo, says the statistics of people that have been killed within a few weeks in Mthatha is shocking.

“Plus minus 10 people now have lost their lives after two days. We are in the process of calling a meeting whereby Uncedo and Border Alliance will be under one roof, but I have one challenge now, which is a stumbling block – the Border Alliance side does not recognize the meeting. So, I am pleading with them to come.”

The Uncedo Taxi Association president in the Eastern Cape, Ntsikilelo Gayler says they have exhausted all avenues to bring peace in Mthatha.

“We are trying to make peace in this industry. We do not know what must we do now, but we are trying, everytime we are meeting with Boarder Alliance and Uncedo, so that we can get a solution.”

The Border Alliance Taxi Association’s deputy president in the province, Jingiso Mgudlwa, says they are part of the attempts to bring peace and stability in the taxi industry.

“We are condemning what is happening. We do not like it and we are trying by all means to come up with a solution. We have been meeting MEC for Transport, Weziwe Tikana, to craft strategies to deal with this ongoing taxi violence. We are against any form of taxi violence.”

Police spokesperson, Deneo Koena, says a task team has been established.

“Police have created a task team that will follow up on incidents that happened in Mthatha involving taxi violence. We, as the police, we condemn the killings of people that is happening in the taxi industry.”

“We are pleading with them that if there is misunderstanding they can come to us so that we can see if we cannot have a solution into their problems.”

Commuters are also once again concerned for their safety and thousands have no other means of transport.

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