Cape Town - Following yet another taxi-related murder on Tuesday, it has emerged that not a single conviction has resulted in the Western Cape from any of the 267 cases reported between May 2020 and March 2022.
This was revealed by MEC of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen. He was responding to DA’s member of the provincial legislature, Ricardo Mackenzie, on questions about the taxi violence in the province. The 267 cases include murders and attempted murders.
“267 taxi violence-related cases have been reported in the province between May 2020 and March 2022,” said Allen. “The figures for the period April to May 2022 cannot be furnished, as they have not been released by the police minister as yet.”
The most recent killing happened in Lower Crossroads where, according to the police, a 43-year-old was fatally shot.
According to reports, Philippi East police were called to the crime scene where they found the victim lying inside the yard. He was declared dead on the scene by medical personnel.
Mackenzie said this was once again an example of the disturbing truth that the national government wasn’t doing enough to address the safety concerns in the minibus taxi industry.
“If taxi violence-related cases are not prosecuted in due course, SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) must account and explain to the Standing Committee where these cases end up. In the past year, the Western Cape has seen a rapid increase in taxi violence incidents.
“When so many lives have been lost, it is incomprehensible that no one has been sent to prison,” he added.
In January, the Weekend Argus reported that 123 people were killed in taxi-related violence in 2021. July last year saw the most violent month; 22 murders and 29 attempted murders resulting from taxi violence were recorded between the start of July and July 16 2021.
Allen was equally disappointed in the zero conviction rate recorded by the police.
“It is alarming that there are no convictions in this regard. This demonstrates the effectiveness of our constitutionally-mandated oversight role, which has assisted in uncovering this deeply concerning information.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said that taxi-related violence was sensitive investigations, like extortion cases which took longer to finalise, than other cases.
“These investigations often see our investigators leave the provincial borders to pursue leads. It is our endeavour to build a solid case to be presented in a court of law. In our pursuit to bring to book, those responsible for taxi violence, numerous arrests have been made in this regard.”
He added that the blame for the slower than usual progress of these sensitive investigations wasn’t due the lack of resources, as they had adequate numbers at their disposal.