KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Mr Bheki Cele has declared the area of KwaNongoma a transport crisis area and that has led to him closing all routes operated by KwaNongoma Taxi Association.
The department has made numerous appeals and interventions to the association to cease acts of violence and to observe the process of the law. Obviously these appeals have landed in a deaf ear as the association has continued to be locked in an internal dispute, resulting in both operators and commuters being needlessly killed.
After all these interventions the associations had resolved in doing the following:
“All members of the association shall ensure that there is peace within the
Association, as well as that there shall be no further killings in the community that are related to the taxi industry. If anyone gets shot in incidences related to the industry then the government will step in.”
“With all the these barbaric series of event that has resulted in many commuters
injured physical and emotional, the department has seen the necessity of closing all routes operated by this association until such time that public transport is no longer threatened by the prevailing circumstances. The operation will be closed for the period of six months or to an earlier date that the department and I will decide on.
The department is committed to defend the weak at all times and will not tolerate anyone who undermines the democratic process that government is building to empower taxi industry,” said Cele.
As a result of further considerations on the practical implications of closing all routes operated by this association a call has been made to all local bus operators to ensure some movement of the members of the public whilst the status quo remains.
The affected routes operated by the Kwa-Nongoma Taxi Association are as follows:
The conveyance of taxi passengers
1) Nongoma to Umkhuze
2) Nongoma to Vryheid via Driefontein, Ngomi
3) Nongoma to Buxedene via Bhekumthetho, Kwa Nansi, Mvulazi, Nkonjeni
4) Nongoma to Pongola via Magut, Nongoma
5) Nongoma to Empangeni via Hlabisa, Kwadlangezwa ,Mtubatuba, Mthunzini, Richards Bay
6) Nongoma to Nsoko via Banganoma, Dlakuse, Esiphambanweni, Msebe, Ngxongwane,
Sovana
7) Nongoma to Usuthu via Efefe, Kombuzi, Mahhashini, Manzimakhulu, Majomela,
Nlophenkulu, Nqokotho, Thokozane
8) Nongoma to Newcastle via Driefontein, Newcastle, Ngomi, Uitreght
9) Nongoma to Durban via Eshowe, Gingindlovu, Mandini, Melmoth, Stanger, Tongaat, Ulundi
10) Nongoma to Gauteng via Heidelburg, Newcastle, Standerton, Uitreght, Vryheid, Volksrust
11) Nongoma to Maphophoma via Dabhazi, Masundwini, Matshamhlophe, Ngolotsha,
Shelezagubudu, Vukeni
12) Nongoma to Mfolozi via Denge, Mzileni, Manhlanhla, Phangode, Vuna
Source: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
