Amid an upcoming court case to compel the government to take decisive steps to end attacks on public transport operators, the Department of Transport has recommended a possible task team to tackle the crisis.
The department, led by Minister Fikile Mbalula, shared the recommendations during a meeting of the portfolio committee on tourism this week.
The public transport industry countrywide has come under siege recently, with increasing cases of extortion, racketeering, intimidation and attacks on long-distance coaches, as well as the people using them, allegedly by “rogue” elements within the taxi industry.
At least one Intercape bus driver, Bangikhaya Mchana, was shot and killed in April outside the company’s bus depot in Cape Town.
The transport ministry proposed, among other measures, establishing a multidisciplinary task team comprising the SAPS, the SA Revenue Service, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the National Intelligence Agency to tackle the scourge of violence that continues to plague the industry.
It also recommended that an integrated stabilisation plan be developed by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure’s transport priority committee to respond to the challenges.
Acting Deputy Director-General Mathabatha Mokonyama said the acts of extortion and intimidation were carried out by “unidentified third parties purporting to be taxi operators”.
The proposals were expected to be tabled for consideration at an upcoming meeting of the security cluster ministers.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has tasked Police Minister Bheki Cele and Mbalula with looking into the crisis and coming up with a response plan.
Cele’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, would not confirm a date for the meeting, saying that cabinet matters "were classified".
"But the portfolio committee will be discussing these matters next week", she said.
Mbalula also told the meeting that the law provided for punitive measures for those found to be behind the violent attacks, extortion and racketeering.
He said the National Land Transport Act empowered regulatory entities to withdraw or suspend operating licences and close ranks and routes where there was an outbreak of violence.
“These actions can be co-ordinated among different provinces. However, these measures are only effective if the identities of the perpetrators of the violence are known.”
Mbalula said the ministry was also considering declaring a nationwide moratorium on issuing operating licences.
The Southern African Bus Operators Association called for the recommended measures to be implemented urgently in time for the peak holiday travel season in December.
Executive manager Bazil Govender said swift action would reassure the industry and the commuting public by giving them a sense of security in using buses and coaches.
"This is the first positive step in the right direction and will help co-ordinate the efforts of the industry and allied stakeholders."
Intercape declined to comment on Mbalula’s intervention measures owing to the court case in Makhanda to be heard this week.
Mbalula and the Eastern Cape MEC for Transport are cited as respondents in the matter.
The case seeks to compel the government to take positive steps to ensure that reasonable and effective measures are in place to provide for the safety and security of long-distance bus drivers and passengers in the Eastern Cape.
Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira told the Western Cape provincial standing committee on transport and the parliamentary portfolio committee on tourism last month that:
* incidents of stoning, intimidation, assault and attempted extortion have been occurring since 2019.
* there have been over 150 incidents of intimidation, stoning and shootings since the start of 2021.
* so far this year, there have been 92 incidents of intimidation against Intercape, including staff having been threatened and passengers forced off coaches at gunpoint or under threat of violence.
Ferreira said he had provided evidence to the police relating to the attacks and had appealed to transport authorities in the Eastern Cape, where a majority of incidents were recorded, to take steps to prevent them.
Cele told a media briefing early this week that 16 arrests had been made so far in connection with 38 attacks on Intercape, Golden Arrow and Mavumisa buses, as well as on taxis.
The suspects were charged with public violence and malicious damage to property, he said.
Cele said his ministry was “comfortable” with interventions to curb the spate of attacks, which included setting up investigative task teams and bilateral teams consisting of officials from the Eastern and Western Cape.
“Increased police deployment on bus routes has also yielded encouraging results,” he said.
A suspect in connection with an attack on an Intercape bus, Unathi Sintsili, has made several appearances in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court.
The NPA said a bail application was expected to be heard soon.
Govender called for more measures to be put in place to address the attacks, such as a dedicated hotline for transport violence and platforms where stakeholders could report criminality.