KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu intervenes to resolve taxi violence in Newcastle
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has stepped-in to resolve violence among taxi associations operating in the Greater Newcastle area.
Yesterday 4/3/2014, Mchunu met with the leadership of four associations operating in Newcastle in a bid to find solutions to end the tensions. The intervention by MEC Mchunu was triggered by a series of incidents of assault, attempted murder and murder of taxi operators.
Recently, a shooting ensued at the Newcastle taxi rank leaving four taxi drivers wounded. It is believed the tensions formed because of disputes over taxi routes. The four associations are Masihambisane Bara Buffalo Flats, Madadeni, Osizweni Utrecht and Boundaries and Sizwe.
Mchunu appealed for calm and restraint, saying anyone causing instability in the taxi industry was reversing the industry peace and stability gains made in the past 20 years.
“I’m disheartened to hear of the shooting that left four people wounded. These shootings have the potential to destabilise the industry and thereby undermine the industry peace and stability we have painstakingly achieved in last 20 years,” said Mchunu.
