Gauteng
MEC Jacob Mamabolo was successfully granted an interdict against the
Johannesburg Minibus Taxi Association in a bid to avert potential violence in
the Johannesburg CBD.
The
granting of the order represents victory for
stability in the taxi industry and the commuting public. 
An
order was granted, interdicting the Johannesburg Minibus
Taxi Association from preventing, intimidating or interfering with the taxi
operations of the Johannesburg Bara Qwa-Qwa Transport
Services Taxi Association (PTY) LTD) at the Johannesburg Taxi Rank corner
Lewds and King George Street. The order is effective from Tuesday, 14 July 2020
until set aside by any other order that could
be obtained by
the Johannesburg Minibus Taxi Association or
any other interested party.
As
of 1 July 2020, the Johannesburg Minibus Taxi Association has prevented the
Johannesburg Bara Qwa-Qwa Transport Services Taxi Association from using the
Johannesburg Taxi Rank on corner Lewds and King George Street. Taxis
belonging to the Johannesburg
Bara Qwa-Qwa Transport Services Taxi Association were
expelled by heavily armed men who occupied and took
over control of their taxi rank.
The
MEC intervened by having a meeting with representatives of both associations
and even offered the parties a mediator to assist in resolving the matter, the
Johannesburg Minibus Taxi Association, however, rejected this. Throughout, the
MEC pleaded with the Johannesburg Bara Qwa-Qwa Transport Services Taxi
Association not to take matters into its own hands and retaliate. This was
because the MEC was going to approach the courts for an intervention. 
MEC Mamabolo commended the Johannesburg Bara Qwa-Qwa
Transport Services Taxi Association for full confidence in
negotiations and the rule of law as opposed to those who resort to resolving
disputes through the “barrel of the gun and the law of the jungle”. 
“It was thanks to the maturity of the leadership of the
Johannesburg Bara Qwa-Qwa Transport Services Taxi Association that we avoided the CBD of the City of resort Joburg  becoming a war-zone,
which could have threatened the lives of members of the public, commuters and
taxi operators. We are confident that law enforcement agencies will prevail
over this gun-wielding and heavily armed gang forcefully and
illegally occupying the taxi tank,” remarked Mamabolo. 
MEC
Mamabolo urged all parties to respect the law, especially the court order
granted. He further urged leaders of the taxi
industry to appreciate that the period of armed gangs and guns parading at taxi
ranks is a thing of the past. The MEC further called on taxi industry leaders to
swiftly begin a transition to the new normal of a smart gun-free taxi industry
in the province.