Cape Town - Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell has slammed an attack on a long-distance bus driver at the Intercape bus depot at the weekend.
Long-distance bus company Intercape confirmed the attack on one of its drivers, revealing that the driver had been shot and seriously wounded outside the company’s depot in Airport Industria on Sunday evening.
The driver was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery after being hit by a bullet. According to Intercape he was currently in a stable condition.
Following the attack, Mitchell met with Intercape CEO and Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen to discuss the continued brazen attacks on long-distance buses allegedly perpetrated by a criminal syndicate with ties to the taxi industry.
“When I first heard about the reported spike in attacks on buses on routes between our province and the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, I took steps to ensure that the matter was brought to the attention of relevant authorities in the security and enforcement environment for the urgent co-ordination of investigations and interventions.
“In May, we met with various role-players, after which the premier wrote to President Ramaphosa requesting an urgent meeting and co-ordinated intervention at national level to combat extortion and racketeering in the public transport sector.
“President Ramaphosa referred the matter to the security cluster ministers. However, we are still waiting for action on the part of Police Minister Cele, who was tasked with convening this crucial and urgent engagement.”
Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira said: “These attacks are a result of a violent campaign waged against the industry by rogue taxi associations which seek to force long-distance coach companies out of operating in certain regions and routes,” Ferreira said.
Despite being fingered for attacks on the long-distance bus industry, the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) maintained that the taxi industry was not behind the attacks.
Santaco provincial chairperson Mandla Hermanus said while the organisation condemned the attack on the bus driver, Santaco does not believe that the taxi industry was behind the attacks.
“We are aware of the claims being made by the long-distance bus companies, and we will study them and respond accordingly. We will not, however, seek the industry’s audience as it has failed to approach us even to say we should intervene. We hope law enforcement agencies will attend to the situation.”