Santaco on Imbali shooting: E-haling taxis need to be regulated
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) says the recent mass shooting in Imbali highlights the need for stricter regulation of e-haling drivers.
It says the introduction of permits will assist in tracking any criminality by the drivers.
Last week Police Minister Bheki Cele said the three suspects thought to have killed ten members of Memela family were transported by one of the e-hailing drivers in the township.
READ: Imbali shooting: Father of victims 'shot dead last year'
Santaco's KZN spokesperson Sifiso Shangase says to avoid a repeat, e-hailing drivers should all be given operating licences.
"If these guys are regulated by our country with laws that are pertinent to South Africa, it will be easy for any transgressions to be able to be dealt with because some of these vehicles are able now to be identified as part of commissioning criminal activities.
"With shootings, people are using these vehicles and transporting drugs. If they are controlled, it is then going to be easy to say it belongs to this particular association or grouping, but the government has got to regulate."
He also believes a permit system will reduce quarrels in the industry.
ALSO READ: Man remanded in custody for Imbali mass shooting
"First and foremost, it is for fairness in terms of the competition. Secondly, it is so that they could be easily recognised in terms of the routes they operate and thirdly, if they are given authority by the government, then the government will be able then to even issue tickets if these guys are transgressing in terms of their operational areas."
