CATA alleges one of its own members behind attacks on taxi drivers

Cape Town taxi association Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) is calling for the arrest of one of its own members, accusing him of being behind a wave of attacks on drivers and minibus taxis linked to the organisation.

The association says several CATA drivers, including women, have been killed in taxi-related violence in recent months and some vehicles were also destroyed in fires at the Nyanga taxi rank.

Some CATA leaders believe an operator from the association's Seawinds branch is responsible for the attacks.

They also accuse him of extorting Seawinds operators of more than R13 million since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Taxi operations at the Nyanga rank were temporarily halted earlier on Monday as operators marched to a nearby police station to demand action.

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They claim criminal cases opened against the man allegedly linked to the killings and taxi torching of their vehicles are being delayed.

CATA secretary Nkululeko Sityebi said operators in Seawinds feel as though they’re being held hostage by a single rogue member.

“We said now, as the CATA region, if Seawater feels now is the time we need to challenge the cases they’ve already opened, then we have to take a stance so that we can get attention from the SAPS.”

Taxi services have since resumed and the association has apologised to commuters for the inconvenience caused.