Pretoria - The taxi industry in the City of Tshwane welcomes a high court ruling giving the government powers to immediately place taxi associations under administration in times of conflict.
Spokesperson for the Tshwane South African National Taxi Council, McDonald Makata said the industry has tried several measures to totally eliminate shootings and murders within the industry but they still happen.
He said if this court order is going to help the government end the unwanted violence in the industry then the industry was more than willing to co-operate and comply.
The Department of Public Transport and Roads made an urgent application to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, to seek powers of enforcement, and an expressive direction for the police to punish any who may transgress the order.
The City of Tshwane recently experienced gruesome taxi violence including the fatal shooting and killing of two taxi operators in Marabastad and another shootout that left one man dead, nine arrested and two placed under hospital guard following an incident near the Tshwane District Hospital.
The court converted a July 23 resolution taken by the South African National Taxi Council and the National Taxi Alliance to help curb the violence into a court order.
The ruling granted the MEC for Public Transport and Roads to intervene in the administration of unstable taxi associations riddled with fights and consult with the industry to restore good administration and to prevent fights and dispute.
Makata said: "We view this as a good decision that can help deal with the taxi violence that's not in line with the constitution of our industry.
"We have seen MEC Jacob Mamabolo has already placed several taxi associations under administration and we welcome good decisions that will bring peace and unity.
"Our own industry states clearly that should a person or group of people be found guilty of involvement in any killing or violence, their membership will be terminated.
"In fact, what people do not know is that we have already kicked out several people for their involvement in taxi violence and damaging the reputation of the industry.
"We leave the arresting and judging part to the police and courts but once a judgment is out that a so and so person is guilty of any involvement in taxi violence, that person or persons start packing their bags and the membership is terminated," said Makata.
Pretoria News