Taxi drivers in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, vowed on Monday to stop any election-related events and voting in the area following their shutdown of the city.
Today there is no movement in the city as all the entrances were blocked, causing children who are writing exams and workers to stay at home.
This follows violence in the city last week, where a taxi boss was killed and scores of other people were admitted to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital with injuries.
The warring factions of the Uncedo Taxi Association and Border Alliance are again at loggerheads, days before elections, with Border Alliance accusing the provincial government of taking sides.
Government accused of bias
Border Alliance alleged that the government disarmed its members while they were guarding their bosses at the hospital.
They are also questioning why the Uncedo Taxi Association members were not disarmed.
This comes after a video of a man purported to be from the Boarder Alliance did the rounds yesterday, warning people not to go to work.
“There would be no vehicle on the road until our guns and Border [Alliance] are brought back. And voting and elections won’t take place,” the man could be heard saying.
“To those that are going around electioneering and lying to our people, they must stop.”
The man also accused police of bias and of picking sides.
Betrayal of freedom
In another voice note doing the rounds, another man, who identified himself as Mazibuko, called on parents to keep their children at home.
“This is a serious matter; please take it as a serious warning. We don’t want to harm your kids,” said the man.
This came despite Eastern Cape transport and community safety MEC Xolile Nqatha issuing “a stern warning” that law enforcement would deal decisively with those responsible for voice notes and videos seeking to intimidate and incite violence.
“The call comes after the police confiscated pistols and assault rifles following the resurgence of taxi violence in the Mthatha, Tsolo, and Maclear areas,” said Nqatha.
“The utterances of the man who recorded the video in particular are an insult to the sacrifices of many of our liberation struggle heroes and heroines.
“He is virtually spitting on the faces of all our anti-apartheid heroes and heroines, many of whom have sacrificed their lives for this right to vote and the right to freedom of movement that they now want to take away from our people.
“We can never allow any person to do that on our watch, for that will be a betrayal of this freedom that we now enjoy and the sacrifices of those who fought so hard for it.”
Firearms confiscated
Nqatha termed the utterances selfish, immature, and irresponsible actions that seek to undermine the rule of law in the province and in Mthatha in particular.
He assured the public that his department and police are determined to end the taxi violence “without any fear, favour, or siding with any of the warring parties”.
At about 6pm on Saturday, police in Mthatha received a complaint from the Nelson Mandela Hospital about a group of people from a taxi association gathered at the hospital armed with firearms.
According to the complaint, staff and patients felt intimidated, threatened, and scared for their lives.
Police said they responded after the group failed to adhere to the intervention by private security.
A total of 38 pistols and five rifles were confiscated for further investigation, according to the police.
Charges of intimidation, trespassing and contravention of the Control of Access to Public Premises and Vehicles Act was opened for investigation.
Respect the rule of law
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene, said the SA Police Service is committed to maintaining peace and order and would “continue to respond promptly to any situations that pose a threat to public safety”.
“It is imperative to clarify that our officers were dispatched in response to a formal complaint received from the hospital.
“Our primary objective was to restore order and ensure the safety of all individuals within the public space, which in this case was the hospital.
“We, once again, urge all parties involved in the taxi feud to seek peaceful resolutions and respect the rule of law.”
