Pimville Community Allegedly Burns Taxi Following E-Hailing Driver’s Death As Transport MEC Speaks

• The South African Police Service in Soweto reported that a taxi was torched, and nobody was injured in the incident
• This came after members of the community protested against the taxi industry following the death of an e-hailing driver
• Community members threatened to shut down Maponya Mall, where the e-hailing driver was killed, two cars were burned, and others were injured

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

PIMVILLE, SOWETO — Members of the Pimville, Soweto community allegedly burned a taxi on 14 August 2025 after the death of an e-hailing driver the previous day at Maponya Mall. Gauteng's MEC of Transport, Kedibone Diale-tlabela, addressed the community.

The South African Police Service reported that nobody was injured in the incident, and it's unclear how the taxi was burned. The community embarked on a protest and closed the Chis Hani Road by Maponya Mall, effectively preventing motorists from entering or exiting the mall. Fortunately, nobody was injured.

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What did the Transport MEC say?

The province's transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela addressed the community and said that the department met with e-hailing and taxi associations. She said that citizens have the right to choose the mode of transport they want to use. She called on members of the police to make sure that those who are responsible for the driver's death are arrested. However, members of the community jeered her and rejected her remarks.

Diale-Tlabela said that there is a holding space for e-hailing services operating in the region.

"We are still sitting down with the e-hailing services and taxi industry to make sure that no one dies again," she said.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens commenting on Facebook were not impressed with the MEC's statements.

Philemon Bodiba said:

"Members of the public have a right to spend their money the way they see fit. There's no reason to choose to be driven in an unroadworthy and overcrowded minibus taxi when they can comfortably afford to be driven in an Uber and feel safe throughout their journey."

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Sipho Ndlovu said:

"Whoever killed those e-hailing drivers messed up big time. I'm sure even taxi drivers are looking for them."

SurpriseTyson said:

"Taxi drivers had a taste of their own medicine."

Avani Zee said:

"I bet the police are going to arrest the person who torced the taxi before they arrest the killer."

Avani Zee said:

"I bet the police are going to arrest the person who torched the taxi before they arrest the killer."

Taxi associations agree to a ceasefire

In a felated article, Briefly News reported that two taxi associations in Gauteng agreed to a ceasefire. This was after over 59 people died from taxi violence from January to April 2025.

The Witwatersrand African Taxi Association and the Nancefield-Dube West Taxi Association agreed to a ceasefire after Diale-Tlabela intervened.

Source: Briefly News