South Africa, Johannesburg | Taxi violence in South Africa is a reoccurring issue that involves disagreements and violence in the country’s taxi sector.
The taxi sector is important in public transportation, but it is also recognized for its difficulties, such as route rivalry, disagreements among different associations, and clashes with competing groups.
These tensions frequently erupt into violent episodes, resulting in injuries, fatalities, and service interruptions.
Various factors has contributed to taxi violence in the country, such as economic interests, power tussle, inadequate regulation and enforcement, and organized crime involvement.
The limited number of legal licenses available for operating taxis intensifies competition, exacerbating tensions within the industry. Additionally, lack of trust in law enforcement and the judicial system have also slow down resolution efforts.
For sometime now, there’s been an ongoing effort by members of South Africa Taxi Drivers Association to eliminate all transporters who are not their registered members, especially those involved in online taxi booking (Bolt, Uber etc).
The members of South Africa Taxi Drivers Association claimed that other operators in the industry are sabotaging their effort to create conducive environment for everyone to thrive in the industry, hence the reason for recent attacks on other transporters operating within the taxi industry.
In a recent development, a video has emerged online showing the moment a Zimbabwean taxi driver working for Bolt was attacked along Sunnyside while he was conveying a customer. The man’s car was overturned by the angry taxi drivers rampaging the whole area.
However, members of South Africa Police Service quickly intervened and calmed the situation.
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