Kwazulu Natal Top Cop Mkhwanazi Sends Warning Shot to Taxi Bosses

KZN Top Cop Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi Warned Taxi Bosses To Stop Intimidating Hitchhikers.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi warned taxi bosses not to harass people when they are hitchhiking.

Mkhwanazi presided over a special meeting between rival taxi associations, the KwaMaphumulo Taxi Association and KwaDukuza Taxi Association aiming to quell the ongoing tensions between the two taxi associations who have been fighting over routes among other tensions.

Mkhwanazi warned the taxi operators during his visit to meet with two taxi associations from Ntshwaini in KwaDukuza which are said to be at loggerheads over routes.

The long-standing tensions have led to disruptions in traffic flow and violence.
He told the taxi bosses that South African roads belong to everyone and that private citizens cannot be intimidated or stopped from assisting others with transport.
Mkhwanazi made it clear that the law does not grant taxi operators the power to control who gives a lift to whom.

“A person who wants to take a lift will take a lift. If they want to take a taxi, they will take a taxi. If they want to take a bus, they will take a bus. It is not for you to decide how someone must travel. If I ever hear that there is an association that stops cars on the road and tells people they are not allowed to take a lift and must use a taxi, the moment I receive that report I will arrest the person responsible.

“Even if it is a security company doing that, I will report that company to the PSIRA office and have its licence taken away. Once that security guard is arrested, the entire company will be shut down. If it operates in other places, we will deal with that in court and close it,” he said.

Mkhwanazi further said: “If a taxi driver who belongs to an association does such a thing, it means that person is working for that association. We do not care whether they own the taxi or not we will shut down that association. Those taxis will not operate. If members of the association want to test how powerful the government is, they should start with us. Challenge the government and you will see the power it has.”

According to him, intimidation of motorists or attempts to block private vehicles from transporting passengers will not be tolerated.

The commissioner’s statement has been widely interpreted as a warning to those in the taxi industry who believe they can enforce informal rules on the roads.
He stressed that law enforcement will act against anyone who attempts to take the law into their own hands.

Community members and road users have welcomed the statement, saying it reinforces the principle that South African roads are public spaces governed by the law, not by intimidation or private interests.