ME for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Mr Willies Mchunu has condemned the ongoing taxi related violence and incidents of malicious damage to property belonging to members of the KwaDukuza and Dolphin Coast taxi associations.
The recent incident reported involves the burning of a taxi belonging to a Dolphin Coast member in the area of Thethe, outside Stanger. Reports reveal that a taxi owned by Nhlanhla Lephalo of Dolphin Coast Taxi Association was set alight in his home garage by unknown suspects in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Lephalo’s family managed to escape unharmed during this attack while the yet unidentified men fled the scene. A case of malicious damage to property has been opened and no arrests have been made. Commenting on this incident, MEC Mchunu called for calm and restraint as police have indicated that they are working around the clock to arrest perpetrators of this crime.
We strongly condemn incidents of intimidation and damage to people’s properties. We are concerned about the ongoing tensions and feud between the KwaDukuza and Dolphin Coast taxi associations. We appeal for calm and restraint as police are doing all their best to apprehend suspects.
As such, we have also assigned a team to engage with the two associations to find long lasting solutions to normalise taxi operations in the area, said Mchunu. He has urged the community or anyone who might have information to work closely with the police ensure that the culprits are brought to book.
