Cape Town - Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell said he and the relevant officials in his department saw the recent attacks on Intercape buses as “organised crime, perpetrated by a criminal element linked to the minibus taxi industry and not as a feud between bus and minibus taxi operators”.
Mitchell said he had adopted a tough, no-nonsense stance with regard to criminal threats to the lives and livelihoods of long-distance bus operators by individuals purporting to represent formal and informal associations within the minibus taxi industry.
Over the past few months, long-distance bus operators such as the Intercape Bus Company had seen a spike in what appeared to be targeted violence and intimidation by individuals suspected to be part of the long-distance taxi industry.
Long-distance taxi association Codeta denied allegations the taxi industry was behind the attacks.
Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi said the accusations by the bus companies pointing fingers at the taxi industry were untrue and unfair.
In a written reply to MPL Derrick America (DA), who asked whether the department received any letters from Intercape about the violence and how it had responded, Mitchell said a letter drawing his attention to the threats was received and action was taken.
These actions included ensuring the matter was brought to the attention of the police for urgent co-ordination of investigations and interventions.
He said meetings were arranged with Intercape’s management, the police’s Crime Intelligence, Public Order Policing and detective branches together with the National Prosecuting Authority and the City’s enforcement units, traffic and metro police.
At these meetings, members of Intercape’s management team had the opportunity to brief authorities on the threats and actions of the criminals.
“I arranged a meeting between the chief executive of Intercape, supported by members of his management team and legal advisers, the premier, Community Safety and Police Oversight MEC Reagen Allen and senior officials from our various departments, where it was agreed that the premier and I would escalate the unfolding threat to the president and relevant security cluster ministers,” he said.
He said a letter was drafted to President Cyril Ramaphosa to request an urgent meeting and co-ordinated intervention at national level to combat extortion and racketeering in the public transport sector.
“We will not condone criminal acts of extortion, negotiate with, nor try to appease criminals, and we will not allow the rule of law to be compromised,” said Mitchell.
America urged all role-players in the province, including the police, the province and taxi associations, to work together to end the criminality.
“We must ensure the safety of all commuters, drivers and road users.
“Violence is not the way to solve problems. No violence and intimidation should be tolerated.”
He said the issue was serious and needed further investigations and that all individuals who were permitted to use the road must do so.