- Fikile Mbalula says they are disappointed with the recent turn of events following ongoing taxi-related violence in Cape Town.
- Mbalula and his Western Cape counterpart are part of high-level meetings with warring taxi organisations which started on Friday.
- Golden Arrow bus service has halted some of its services due to threats and intimidation.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says his department is disappointed with the recent turn of events following ongoing taxi-related violence in the Western Cape.
Mbalula's response to the taxi violence comes on day two of a high-level meeting with representatives of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA), as well as the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA) to try to find a solution to the deadly taxi violence that has gripped the Western Cape.
The meeting began on 16 July after taxi violence flared in the province, resulting in the deaths of several taxi operators, drivers, and commuters.
"We have not come here to recreate the wheel or duplicate the intervention of the Western Cape leadership. As national government, we have come to put politics aside, for the sake of commuters and taxi industry players," Mbalula said.
"We are here to reinforce the efforts of the province and ensure an intergovernmental, multidisciplinary and targeted approach to safety, which is the only way to restore law and order in the taxi industry."
He added that last year, the two rival associations sat side by side at the National Taxi Lekgotla, which took place in August.
He added:
It is still unclear when the meeting will be concluded.
Meanwhile, Golden Arrow bus service has halted some of its services due to threats and intimidation.
This, after a bus driver was shot in the mouth near Borcherd's Quarry as violence targeting Cape Town's taxis continued on Monday.
Shooters also fired on passing cars near the Langa taxi rank in a bloody start to Monday for commuters and taxi operators.