Taxi violence commission now accepting evidence

© Leon Swart – 123RF.com

“Any person or section of the public, including community structures, members of relevant communities and of the public, minibus taxi-type service associations, drivers, operators, conductors and rank marshals, who or which is in possession of information that may be relevant to the matters to be enquired into by the Commission and wishes to give evidence before the Commission is invited to contact the Secretary to arrange the date and time when you may testify before the commission," said Justice Jeremiah Shongwe, the chairperson of the commission.

The commission was established to investigate the root causes of taxi violence in Gauteng.

Shongwe said evidence related to the work of the commission can be submitted to the commission’s Secretary.

The commission is based at 15 Jubilee Road, Parktown, Johannesburg. People can contact the commission on 082 873 0395 or 066 390 0303.

Emails can be directed to az.vog.gnetuag@ecneloivixaT.ofnI.

The website for the commission is available on http://taxiviolencecommission.gauteng.gov.za/Pages/index.aspx.

The commission is also on Facebook and Twitter and the handle for both platforms is @GPTaxiInquiry.

The commission has been appointed in terms of section 127(2)(e) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 8 of 1996, read with Section 21 of the Provincial Commission Act 01 of 1997.

The Terms of Reference include the following aspects:

1. The underlying reasons for the recurring conflict, violence, fatalities and instability within the minibus taxi-type service industry within the Gauteng Province;

2. The activities of operators, legal and illegal, as well as any other group or person that contributes to the recurring conflict, violence, fatalities and instability;

3. The provision of minibus taxi transport services authorised by both interchange based and direct route-based permits and licences;

4. How the minibus taxi business model, including the formation and management of minibus taxi associations, contributes to the recurring conflict, violence, fatalities and instability; and

5. Any other matters that are ancillary or related to the matters set out in paragraphs (a) to (d).
   

There are two commissioners who will be assisting the chairperson in the execution of the commission’s duties, namely Lungile Mabece, who is a Senior Attorney and Hlula Msimang, an executive operating in the law enforcement, security and intelligence sector.

The commission also consists of a Secretary, Mamiki Selesho, a legal risk management and forensic accountancy specialist, who will be assisted by administrative staff.

There are four evidence leaders in the legal department under the leadership of Nano Matlala (Senior Attorney), namely Advocate Hendrik Potgieter; Advocate Tiny Seboko; Advocate Richard Mkhabela and Advocate Tebogo Mafafo.

There are four investigators who will assist in consolidating statements when visiting witnesses.

The Commission must make findings with reference to:

1. The number, nature, locality, and pattern of incidents of conflict, violence, fatalities and instability involving different sections of the public, both as victims and suspects, in Gauteng;

2. Indications whether the incidents are related to criminal activities or any other internal or external influences or factors which may be considered relevant;

3. The outcomes of any police investigation and prosecution of the incidents, including the number of successful prosecution of the perpetrators, and

4. The perception of the different sections of the public in respect of the underlying reasons of the incidents of the recurring conflict, violence, fatalities, and instability and the effectiveness of policing thereof by the police service in the Gauteng Province.