SANTACO welcomes Gauteng govt’s move to deploy team to address taxi violence

JOHANNESBURG - The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has welcomed the Gauteng government’s move to deploy a team to address the ongoing crisis of taxi violence in the province.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced the formation of a specialised task team on Thursday, mandated to monitor and intervene in industry disputes.

This decision comes in the wake of 59 taxi-related murders recorded in the first quarter of the year alone.

Taxi associations in Soweto were at the heart of a deadly conflict earlier this year, battling over key routes in the area.

The three-month-long feud led to the killings of numerous taxi drivers, with some being gunned down while their vehicles were still carrying passengers.

SANTACO said the formation of a taxi violence task team is long overdue, as taxi-related violence has been a longstanding concern.

"We especially appreciate the commitment to the commitment to tackling taxi violence through coordinated strategies involving law enforcement, industry leadership, and the establishment of a dedicated intelligence and dispute resolution unit."

The armed taxi violence task team has been appointed on a one-year contract.