Santaco says its not answerable for assaults on e-hailing drivers in Soweto

Pretoria – The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) asserts that it cannot be held accountable for the violent assaults against e-hailing drivers.

Santaco stated that police are looking into the violent attacks on e-hailing drivers.

This follows the torching and stoning of e-hailing operators’ automobiles on Thursday at the Maponya Mall in Soweto.

Another e-hailing engine vehicle was set land outside the Protea Glen shopping center in Soweto on Monday.

Santaco spokeswoman Rebecca Phala told IOL that the taxi company respected citizens’ right to choose and was not opposed to the integration of public transportation.

She stated, “We wish for the public to refrain from immediately declaring us guilty of the violence when the events are the subject of police investigations.”

According to Phala, Santaco was also aware of the temporary agreement between the Soweto Taxi Services and the Soweto United E-hailing Association, which stipulated that e-hailing taxis would operate outside of malls for a period of three months.

“We would like to commend them for allowing reason to prevail and agreeing on terms that will guarantee that commuter services will resume fully.

“We ask all to hold their part of the arrangement similarly as we ceaselessly campaign government to quick track the alteration of the Public Land Transport Act,” she said.

Phala stated that it should be discouraged the perception that taxi drivers are committing violent acts when asked if the Soweto agreement would not set a precedent in other provinces and increase violence.

She stated, “We wouldn’t want to pronounce on an expectation of similar acts mushrooming in other parts of the country.”