Cape Town – Mbekweni residents who were living in fear due to taxi violence in recent weeks say calm has been restored on account of the nationwide lockdown.
The township, on the outskirts of Paarl, has been rocked by shootings which has claimed more than 10 lives since the start of the year, bringing some services to a halt.
At the heart of the conflict is the Bellville-to-Paarl route which the Paarl Alliance Taxi Association and the Cata Boland Taxi Association are allegedly at loggerheads about.
Last Wednesday a taxi owner was killed in a shooting and a bystander wounded. Two police officers who were on their way to assist in the arrest of 15 people allegedly involved in the shooting sustained minor injuries when they were involved in an accident.
On March 6, seven taxi operators were arrested for the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The violence persisted despite a number of visits by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula and his provincial counterpart, MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela, to try to get the associations to come together.
Mbekweni Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Quincy Bongo said although the lockdown was meant to prevent the spread of Covid-19, it had also restored calm.
“We think it’s been quiet because police and soldiers are here,” he said.”