Minister Madikizela condemns killing of Paarl taxi operators

Media Release by Bonginkosi Madikizela, Western Cape Minister of Transport and Public Works

I strongly condemn the senseless killing of two taxi operators in Paarl over the weekend.

On Saturday 2 May 2020, a Paarl Alliance Taxi Association driver was shot and killed near the Bellville Interchange. In a suspected reprisal killing, a CATA operator was killed in Paarl on Sunday 3 May.

I wish to extend sincere condolences to the families of the operators who lost their lives. My Department is committed to getting to the root causes of the violence and to work closely with the SAPS to bring those criminals behind the killings to book.

I also instructed my Department to redeploy the independent mediators who were appointed to mediate between ten rival groups before the lockdown was imposed.

The mediators will be meeting the with officials from the Provincial Taxi Registrar and the two associations during the course of today to restore calm in the area and prevent further escalation of violence.

In a meeting with SAPS and Traffic officials early this morning, officials from the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works requested that visible policing in the Paarl area be increased and that integrated, intelligence-driven, joint operations between SAPS, Drakenstein Traffic and Provincial Traffic be planned and implemented.

I am very encouraged by the number of arrests over the last few months by the SAPS in cases involving taxi related crimes. I am confident that it is only a matter of time before these hitmen are also brought to justice.