DEPARTMENT CONDEMNS SHOCK KILLING OF MANDINI TAXI ASSOCIATION LEADER

The KZN Department of Transport condemns in the strongest terms possible the shocking murder of Mr Benjamin Mabaso, Vice Chairperson of the Mandini / Sundumbili Taxi Association, this morning. Mr Mabaso’s tragic death follows closely on the killings of other officials of the association. In recent weeks, the association’s secretary and chairperson were killed under similar circumstances.   The tragic news of Mr Mabaso’s death comes at a time when the Department is confident that, with having identified and found solutions to most of the root cause of tensions within the taxi industry, the terrible spiral of violence that characterised the industry would soon become a thing of the past. Head of Transport, Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa said that the Department had every reason to believe that the overwhelming majority of taxi operators have always eschewed violence and that the problem was limited to a few disgruntled associations that benefited for as long as there was destabilisation within the industry.  With the recent successful launch of the Department’s Public Transport Enforcement Unit, all stakeholders within public transport have begun looking towards an industry that would be free of illegal operators, unroadworthy vehicles, overloading, and other gross abuses that led to tensions in the past.   However, the death of Mr Mabaso poses a severe setback that needs to be dealt with firmly in order that such a setback is only temporary. The Department is currently participating with other authorities such as the South African Police Services, the army and the municipalities in formulating a top-level plan to apprehend the culprits. The Department will lend its full co-operation and assistance in implementing the plan. On behalf of KZN Minister of Transport, Mr S’bu Ndebele, Dr Mbanjwa extends deepest sympathies to the family of Mr Mabaso. 

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