Minister Ronald Lamola addresses public Victim-Offender-Dialogue, 15 Oct

Minister Lamola to convene Victim-Offender-Dialogue involving the taxi industry

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, is to convene a public Victim-Offender-Dialogue (VOD) related to a 2001 taxi violence incident that resulted in cold blooded execution of seven people. The dialogue will be held on Friday, 15 October 2021, at All Saints Sports Field, eNgcobo, Eastern Cape.

The Chairperson of Boarder Alliance Taxi Association and four Executive Members were ambushed and killed in a hail of bullets on the N2 between Mount Frere and Qumbu on their way back from a Taxi Indaba in Durban. A passenger and a truck driver were additional victims fatally wounded in the attack. Although those behind this act were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment, this horrendous incident left many families harmed and longing for closure.

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has acknowledged that it has to do more to promote and enforce restorative justice. Hence, justice should never be something removed from the individuals and communities affected or harmed by crime.

Prior to the public VOD, DCS initiated an open engagement process between the victims and perpetrators through a Victim-Offender-Mediation.

Minister Lamola will highlight the importance of a victim-centred justice system where the genesis of restorative justice is located. Taxi violence continues to cause depredation in the country and it has to be quelled.

A total of four inmates and a parolee who will take part in the dialogue were taxi owners hence the VOD participants include the families of the victims and the taxi industry structures.

Lamola will also handover school desks and chairs refurbished by inmates to eight schools in the Chris Hani District as well as wheelchairs assembled by inmates to ten beneficiaries.