Gauteng Taxi Associations Agree to Ceasefire After Long-Standing Violent Feuds

• The provincial Department of Roads and Transport facilitated a ceasefire between the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (WATA) and the Nancefield-Dube West Taxi Association (NANDUWE)
• The two associations have been feuding over taxi routes for years, and the feud claimed 59 people this year from taxi violence
• The South African National Taxi Council and the National Taxi Alliance sat down with Transport MEC Kedibone-Diale Tlabela to bring an end to taxi violence

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, cash-in-transit heists, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

JOHANNESBURG —The Gauteng provincial government brokered a ceasefire agreement between the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (WATA) and the Nancefield-Dube West Taxi Association (NANDUWE) on 11 April 2025. The two warring associations met with Transport MEC, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, and various stakeholders.

Why did WATA and NANDUWE meet?

Read also

ActionSA calls for justice for 13 rape victims of alleged serial rapist

According to SABC News, NANDUWE and WATA, alongside the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) met to find a way to bring an end to the violence in the taxi industries. The conflict between the two warring associations has resulted in many lives lost. This year alone, almost 60 people died as a result.

The chairperson of the portfolio committee on community safety Bandile Masuku called on the associations to abide by the ceasefire and engage in good faith. He also called on commuters and communities to report violence and work with all stakeholders to bring an end to the violence in the transport sector.

Recent taxi violence incidents in SA

• SANTACO condemned Mpumalanga taxi patrollers who forced a taxi carrying passengers to stop in early April and compelled the passengers to get taxis at a nearby taxi rank
• A barber shop owner witnessed one of his customers, who was a taxi boss, getting gunned down in broad daylight while he was getting a hair cut
• Chaos broke in the Tshwane CBD on 11 October 2024 after taxi operators and police officers clashed

Read also

ANC and DA meet to talk about Government of National Unity reconfiguration

South Africans discuss their views

Netizens commenting on SABC News' Facebook post discussed taxi violence.

Tshepo Leon Makhura said:

"Mchunu must intervene. All taxi owners and drivers who have firearms must surrender their firearms until further notice."

Mynderd Palm said:

"Most of the taxis are owned by politicians. It's their pension. This industry is unregulated and out of control."

Sydney Zhukov said:

"How does this even happen in as country with a president, a government, the minister of police, the justice system and functioning laws?"

Section Sixteen Sub Sec One said:

"Maybe we should nationalise the taxi industry."

Yolam Phiri said:

"Remove taxi associations. They cause terrorism. The ministry of transport must take over the industry."

MEC hosts prayer session for taxi violence

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Diale-Tlabela held a prayer meeting in Soweto on 10 April 2025 to bring an end to taxi violence. Residents affected by the violence attended the prayer session.

Read also

Soweto child hospitalised after eating snacks from spaza shop, SA worried

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi was worried about the spate of violence. This was after three taxi patrollers were gunned down in the province.

Source: Briefly News