Soweto residents disappointed over Maponya Mall’s silence on Mvelase’s killing

 

Soweto residents have expressed disappointment over what they describe as a lack of action from Maponya Mall management following the brutal killing of e-hailing driver, Siyanda Mvelase.

Yesterday, aggrieved residents shut down the mall, calling on management to address the issues about public transport operating at the facility.

The 27-year-old was shot and his body burned inside his car outside the mall on Wednesday night. Two others were shot and injured during the incident.

Mvelase’s family says they are still in the dark about what led to his murder. They revealed that he had only just started working as an Uber driver on Monday, after recently relocating from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng.

His aunt shared that Siyanda’s main motivation for joining Uber was to support his mother financially.

Some residents say the incident has shattered the belief that the mall and the community are united. They warn that without accountability, lawlessness will continue.

“What we were doing was that it was our civil obligation as a community to stand up for an unjust course like this one. The reason why we asked for seven days was so that we can hold the mall accountable,” he said.

He also slammed the heavy police presence at the mall as a way to suppress the aggrieved community.

Taxi operators in and around Pimville have denied any bad blood between them and e-hailing drivers.

The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) have condemned the attack and has called on the public to avoid speculating on the motive behind the incident.