GP Transport MEC is way out of depth: Soweto taxi organisations

April 10, 2025 64

Taxi associations, Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (Wata) and Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association (Nanduwe), says Gauteng MEC for Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, doesn’t understand the gravity of the conflict between them.

Diale-Tlabela has found herself on the bad side of the warring associations after she revealed that the Gauteng transport department is planning to close the taxi ranks both organisations operate in for six months amid escalating violence.

The conflict over routes, which are seen as highly profitable, spans over a decade and has claimed at least 59 lives in the province since January.

According to Diale-Tlabela, in March alone approximately 30 people died in taxi-related violence, while three Wata members were gunned down in Mofolo, Soweto, this week.

The recent deaths followed last month’s tensions caused by the blocking of certain roads in Soweto by Nanduwe.

The association’s move had been preceded by a court order, which had ruled that the routes in dispute belonged to the organisation.

While both associations believe the current standoff is due to government’s interference, MEC Diale-Tlabela hopes closing the local taxi ranks will quell the tensions.

She has also threatened to withdraw the organisations’ operating licenses.

However, Wata’s Hamilton Miya believes that the MEC’s plans won’t serve any purpose and says his organisation is willing to work with Nanduwe.

Nanduwe’s Joseph Ngcobo also believes Diale-Tlabela’s threats are short-sighted.

Speaking exclusively to YNews, Ngcobo revealed that Nanduwe members are already struggling as they currently can’t work on the routes Wata has taken from them.

He says some are even struggling to pay their bills and that has affected their health.

He rejects Wata’s suggestion that they share routes.

There is just too much loss of life through guns. Our children are traumatised, they can’t even watch television anymore because every time one switches television on, it’s killings, rape and our elders fighting in the parliament

— tazee (@tazee490213) April 9, 2025

@tshidi_lee , you don’t ask the MEC and govt right questions. Why didn’t she appeal the Wata interdict of her declaration of the Nanduwe rights to disputed routes and permit? Why doesn’t she get a declaratory court order if she believes her January award to Nanduwe was correct?

— Reloaded #702Black (@MangenaMhamba) April 10, 2025

It’s unfortunate that WATA is willing to work with them, they on the other hand are standing firm on their decision ukuthi they’ll never work with WATA

— ??H?? ??R??N??P??R?? ?????? – ?? ???? (@Takatso_Moloi) April 7, 2025

@Thabisoo @nzimandebafana @Fifi_CM WATA and NANDUWE have been fighting for a decade — 10 years!

There was a time when the MEC of Transport, Ismail Vadi closed the route for 90 days to cease hostilities.

Sadly the death toll is raising.

— Mandl’eNkosi (@MandlaMagagula) April 7, 2025