Kamogelo Seekoei

Kamogelo Seekoei

Gauteng taxi wars have claimed the lives of more than 20 drivers since April last year.

A number of passengers have also been injured while commuting on the infamous routes used by the Dobsonville- Roodepoort-Leratong-Johannesburg Taxi Association and Faraday Taxi Association.

The feud between the two associations intensified last year when hitmen randomly shot at drivers while passengers were present.

The two rival factions had been warring over which group should operate from the Clearwater Mall and the nearby Makro Retailer in Roodepoort.

The contest between these two also extended to other taxi associations who sought to settle their differences with guns.

The Greater Germiston Taxi Association and Lethabong Taxi Association in Ekurhuleni also had their own feuds about routes in Germiston.

The Ekurhuleni Regional Taxi Council had to plead with transport MEC Ignatius Jacobs to intervene.

Earlier this year the Alexandra-Randburg-Midrand-Sandton Taxi Association and the Alexandra Taxi Association were involved in a feud over the Kyalami-Johannesburg route.

In November Top Six Association boss Sicelo Mabaso denied that there was a "war" in the taxi industry.

Mabaso insisted that these incidents should not be referred to as "taxi wars".