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SLAUGHTERHOUSE: One of the containers at Nancefield hostel, Soweto, used by mechanics, contains parts of allegedly stolen minibus taxis. The parts were discovered on Sunday during a raid by the taxi association task team and police. PHOTO: SIBUSISO MSIBI

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POLICE have uncovered a taxi 'chop-shop' industry manufacturing fake minibus taxis that are sold to operators for as little as R15,000.

The industry has the makings of a well-oiled modern production system, with suppliers of parts, those who run assembly plants and agents responsible for selling the final products.

But what distinguishes this South African-made minibus from those imported from Japan is that they are produced by an illicit industry sustained by hijacking and stealing.

The chop shop at Nancefield hostel, Soweto, discovered on Sunday afternoon, was the second find in two weeks. Police found another one at Merafe hostel, in Mapetla, also in Soweto.

Minibus taxis are stolen at filling stations, the homes of drivers and while transporting passengers. They are then moved to other provinces or other routes in the same province.

Mechanics who ply their trade in hostels, particularly in Soweto, are believed to be at the centre of this crime. Some taxi associations have accused the police of being involved in the syndicate.

But police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said: "If taxi associations make such allegations, they must bring them to the police and they will be investigated."

On August 9 four men, including a police officer, were arrested at Merafe hostel after a group of owners found two taxis. The owner of the chop shop is still at large.

The Randburg United Long Distance Taxi Association has since formed a task team to look into the theft of minibus taxis. They have subsequently been joined by the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association, who are also victims of the syndicate.

But the Nancefield chop shop was serious business. There were two containers full of car parts. About three rooms in the hostel were also filled with car parts.

Police arrested two men who claimed to be the mechanic's sons, and two other men, one of whom was caught trying to warn the mechanic not to come home.

Taxi owner Jabulani Kunene said the associations lost at least 15 minibus taxis a month.

"We opened cases and the police could not trace these criminals or find our taxis. So we searched the hostels ourselves," he said.

Kunene said it was easy for the syndicate to use the hostel because "very few people visit the hostels because they are secluded from the community. Most of our successes have been by ourselves without the help of the police."

Last Friday Kunene and his team traced a stolen minibus taxi to Dube hostel, where they captured a man who had allegedly been involved in stealing the vehicle.

"We whipped the man a little bit. He told us that the minibus taxi was in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal," said Kunene.

The task team found the minibus taxi in Nkandla in just 24 hours. It now had a KwaZulu-Natal registration number plate.

"Some owners are willing to buy these minibus taxis for as little as R15000, knowing very well that the vehicles have been stolen," he said.

Kunene explained how the syndicate operates:

lWhen a minibus taxi is involved in an accident, the owner goes to the mechanic to look for the damaged parts.

lThe mechanic determines if a whole new minibus taxi or only a few new parts are needed.

l If the parts of a new model are not available at the chop shop, an order for a minibus taxi is placed with the thieves.

lAfter the minibus taxi is brought to the chop shop, the tracking device is removed and the chassis and engine numbers are immediately changed.

lA new minibus taxi is assembled with a new registration. It is moved to another province or a different route within the province.

Top Six national general secretary Boy-boy Mogorosi said the problem was rife.

"I know hijackings are rife in Johannesburg and Durban, but the vehicles are also smuggled to neighbouring countries such as Lesotho," Mogorosi said.

Rackson Mudzanani, spokesperson for Faraday Taxi Association, also said that incidents of stealing and hijacking happened from time to time.

Ralph Jones of the Johannesburg Regional Taxi Council confirmed that minibus taxi hijackings have been rife recently.

He said mostly the southern parts of Johannesburg, Soweto and Eldorado Park had been affected.

Comments

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Wed Jun 19 09:28:28 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 24, 2011

parkzola

Owu nkosi yam coffins on the wheels.Hayi cha people must lean to budget and buy themselves than riding these coffins.
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Aug 24, 2011

Sandile84

If you want crime to be investigated, do it yourself. Police are incompetent and useless. I think all hostels must be checked by a competent police task force all over the country to see if there aren't any other illegal activities happening.
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Aug 24, 2011

moll

@ekapa
i knw u havnt commented but i m hoping u do later but since i wont get a chance 2 later, i m doing it now: sana uthi uJolinkomo uzazela nje ukuba kukho umthi nomntu owawukhwelayo n ukuba ngubani akunamsebenzi, kwaaakwaaaakwaaa... azibuhlungu iimbhambho zam, yhu usile!

ubundifake emkhenceni ke izolo xa bendikubulisa, waqonda mawundipholise, yho zange ndiphoxeke, bendithe loxe!
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Aug 24, 2011

Guru7

The content of this story is boring and as for the spelling damn!
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Aug 24, 2011

TDK

Well done. You cannot always rely on the police. Bravo!!!
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Aug 24, 2011

KHOROMMBI

Fake taxi...fake ride...fake taxi driver who can't speak english..
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Aug 24, 2011

ApelMankotsana

I wonder who are these people who are involved.. Mara there is only one group of people which is known for specialising as taxi drivers. They like staying in hostels too much. Maybe ke bona.
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Aug 24, 2011

LLCool

@ApelMankotsana:
off-course ke bona. there is no doubt about this.
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Aug 24, 2011

BigBoii

We are really being transported on coffins, are our lives that cheap????
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Aug 24, 2011

PUPU

@ApelMankotsana
YOU WANTED TO SAY ZULUS WENA
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