MEC for Public Transport and
Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo has moved swiftly to appoint administrators
to take over operations of both the Witwatersrand African Taxi Owners
Association (WATA) and Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association (NANDUWE). 
 
In line with the Court Order
granted to the Department, the MEC has appointed Mr Johan Eksteen and Mr
Siphile Buthelezi as administrators of NANDUWE and WATA respectively. 
 
Referring to the appointment, the
MEC reiterated that “the provincial government gives its unwavering support for
Mr Eksteen and Buthelezi as they lead the two associations on the best
principles of modernisation and transformation”.
 
"We are confident that
placing these Taxi Associations under administration has averted a potentially
explosive situation that could have destabilized Soweto and severely impacted
commuters" added the MEC.
 
MEC Mamabolo had earlier dissolved
the two associations' Executive Committees following violent clashes over
routes which has resulted in the murder of four people, two on each side, early
this month. 
 
Each of the administrators will
assume full executive responsibilities in line with the constitutions of both
associations. 
 
In August 2020, the North Gauteng
High Court declared the resolution between the South African National Taxi
Council (SANTACO) Gauteng and the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (GNTA) an
order of the court.
 
The court order also empowers the
MEC to restore good administration in order to prevent infighting and disputes,
which are at the root of the violence in the taxi industry. 
 
"We call on leaders and
members of these associations to refrain from acts of violence and cooperate
with the appointed Administrators," said MEC Mamabolo. 
 
The MEC added that sorting out
violence is critical to 'our smart mobility objective which is the movement of
people and goods with ease.'