Armed taxi patrollers target school transport

A minibus driver contracted to a college was left traumatised when rogue taxi operators took his car and demanded R15,000 for its release after they accused him of stealing their business.

Bheki Nkosi of Matsulu in Mpumalanga had just picked up 14 college students from a farewell event in Malalane Kruger Lodge when they were stopped by gun-toting taxi patrollers on Saturday afternoon along the N4. 

They demanded a R1,500 spot fine for transporting people without being a member of a taxi association. He said the men, who were wearing Malalane Taxi Association (MTA) reflector jackets, also manhandled him in front of the students and their principal Mark Nzimande.

“I told them I didn't have such money and the only R400 I had was for tollgates and fuel. They then forced us to drive to the Malalane taxi rank. When we arrived there about 4pm, they demanded my car keys and said now I'd have to pay R15,000 to have the vehicle back,” said Nkosi.

Nkosi and Nzimande walked to Malalane police station to report the matter. The taxi operators loaded the traumatised students in another vehicle and took them home. 

The police and Nkosi went back to the taxi rank and found the patrollers who claimed that the key to Nkosi's Toyota Quantum had gone with one of their colleagues.

“They became aggressive and threatened to beat me up in front of the police,” said Nkosi.

They went back to the police station where Nkosi registered a case of theft about midnight. 

My tracker this morning (Sunday) said they can see my car at some house in Naas or kaMaqhekeza Block C section near Komatipoort (on the Mozambique border). When the tracker workers went to the house there was nobody and the car was locked,” said Nkosi.

Nzimande, who hired Nkosi for the college's transport needs, said they always see videos of patrollers harassing motorists on the N4 but he did not expect it to happen to him. And worse, to be threatened with a gun.

“My school uses Nkosi's transport services regularly. When they took Nkosi's car I decided to remain with him to give him support just in case they kidnap him. What makes me more angry is that these people showed no respect the police and manhandled Nkosi in front of the police. It seems like they are bigger than the law,” Nzimande said.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Donald Mdhluli said: “We are talking to the car tracker company and our officers in the area where the car is.”

One of the students caught up in the commotion said she was still traumatised by the incident. 

“This is scary. I thought we were going to be shot. When they stopped us the principal [Nzimande] tried to calm us as some of us started crying,” said the student.

MTA treasurer Ali Nkomo said he was not aware of the incident. "That's not how we operate. What happens is that if we find you transporting hitchhikers, we take them to a taxi rank so that they can take a taxi. I don't know that incident but those operators were being naughty for demanding money.

Mpumalanga MEC for community safety security and liaisons Jacky Macie condemned the incident.

“Taxi patrollers don't own the road as long as the person abides by the rules of the road. No one has a right to harass or impound their cars. As the police are busy with the investigation and trying to bring the car back, we promise not to fail on that. If people have to be arrested we shall do so as we now know where the car is,” said Macie.

Last month, Sowetan reported on several incidents where motorists were harassed by taxi operators for transporting hitchhikers. One of the affected motorists was a Barberton, Mpumalanga, man who was targeted for giving his neighbour a ride.

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