GroundUp: Taxi drivers burn vehicles, attack reporters in Nyanga

The taxi drivers involved are called amaphela by township residents, which means cockroaches. They drive sedans, usually Toyota Cressidas, and more recently Avanzas; these are not minibus taxi drivers.

Angry drivers burned tyres and stoned cars on Lansdowne and Klipfontein roads in Nyanga.

The drivers accused the City of taking away their “bread”.

They also assaulted this GroundUp reporter and two Daily Sun reporters.

Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke confirmed that three Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) vehicles were set alight in Nyanga.

She said there had also been several stoning incidents and reports of minor injuries. "The safety of our passengers and drivers remains our priority and as such we have suspended our services in the area. We ask our passengers to please make their way to Borcherd's Quarry Road where there is a police presence," said Dyke.

Passenger Nolubabalo Nako described how the bus she was on was set alight. "These people came from nowhere. They started stoning the bus, ordering us to get out. As we were pushing each other to get out, they petrol-bombed the bus. At least no one died. I was so scared. I thought they were going to kill us," she said.

When we (GroundUp reporter Nombulelo Damba, Lulekwa Mbandamane and Mandla Mnyakama, both from Daily Sun) arrived in Lansdowne Road, about ten men carrying stones ordered us to leave. We were about to take pictures as they approached us and started throwing stones.

They grabbed Mbandamane's camera and threw it on the road, breaking it. They also beat her. They took my bag and beat me with it. They also threw it on the ground, damaging my camera which was in the bag. I pleaded with them but they didn't appear to care. They also stole CDs belonging to Mbandamane. They also pushed Mnyakama. He ran to the other side of the road. They threw stones at him and he managed to jump into a car. They stoned the car as well.

One of the drivers said they were angry because their cars had been impounded by traffic police. "We started with them [traffic officers]. Now we want Golden Arrow to pay because they only give us tickets, not Golden Arrow," he said.

Another driver who identified himself as Luzuko said that the fines taxi drivers paid when their cars were impounded are too high. "If you have a lawyer you pay R3,500. If you do not have a lawyer you pay R7,000," he said.

Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said police were at a riot on the corners of Lansdowne and Eisleben Roads Nyanga. "The incident followed an operation conducted by Traffic Services where eight taxis were impounded for traffic violations. The situation is still being monitored and no one has been arrested," he said. DM

This feature was first published by GroundUp.

Photo: One of the buses that was set alight in Nyanga earlier on Tuesday. (Photo by Nombulelo Damba.)