By Tselane Moiloa
ON THE RAMPAGE: In this file picture, taxi operators brandish weapons during a protest march
LADYBRAND – Simmering tension between rival taxi associations could explode into open warfare if steps are not taken to force the belligerent sides to observe a court order barring them from using a lucrative make-shift rank near the Maseru Bridge, where an estimated 12 000 people pass during peak hour seasons.
Angry members of one of the two major rival taxi associations in Ladybrand, some 130 kilometres south of Bloemfontein, have threatened violence if the Manyatseng Taxi Association is allowed to occupy the controversial taxi rank also known as the Border Box.
The latest turn of events in the long-running feud between the Mohokare Taxi Association and Manyatseng Taxi Association comes after Manyatseng entered into a contract with the new owner of the Platbergsdrift farm where the Border Box is located, granting them rights to operate from there.
The 428-hectare farm was sold for R4.25 million to Eternal City Trading CC to the chagrin of Mohokare members who felt they should have been offered the farm first before the former owner placed it on the market.
“We had been working there for about 30 years under the previous owner, Iris Thornhill. When she sold the farm, she didn’t tell us. At the same time, we were paying money into her account, but all of a sudden we received a letter from Eternal City Trading. We did not know who he was as he didn’t introduce himself to us,” Molupe said.
That is when the two groups went to court, which was won by Mohokare.
“We then received an order that we should vacate the area and we opposed it in court. The court told him that the matter was not an urgent matter. When we were supposed to settle it in court, they asked for an out-of-court settlement, which our attorneys advised us to take. As part of our conditions of the settlement, we agreed that there would not be any taxi association which would operate in the border box until the new owner decided on which organization should operate in there,” he added.
Molupe said most members of his association have not been working, while some have sold their taxis because they cannot operate.
“The department deregistered our association and said our taxi rank was not a designated area, which is the border box and that is when we took them to court. We won, and they returned our registration and our rank, but they still failed to give us permits and did not honour the court order. We were refused permits, operating licenses and the ability to renew our licences.
“We have been trying by all means to follow the law and do things correctly. Right now, we feel it is appropriate that the community must be made aware of the situation,” he said.
Molupe said the effect of the processes has dented their businesses and personal lives.
“My house and Quantam taxi have been repossessed. This is even more painful because I had already paid about R77 000 for the taxi,” he continued.
The Mohokare association said only two of their members still have permits and are operating legally. They initially had just over 27 taxis in their stable.
“They are taking away our rights. There must be action to show that we do not agree with what is happening,” added the association’s general-secretary Tshepo Lesalaisa.
Mohokare has threatened violence because of the contract between Eternal City Trading and Manyatseng Taxi Association, which they argue favours one side.
According to the contract, Manyatseng was supposed to have occupied the Border Box from on July 1 2012. However, this has not happened because they fear that more attacks would be carried out on their members if they moved from the mouth of the bridge.
Government agencies are located at the bridge where travelers between the two countries are processed.
The vice chairperson of Manyatseng, Charles Letutu said: “It is true that we have an agreement with the owner of the land and we are ready to move at any time. However, we cannot move because we fear there may be violence. Three of our taxis have already been burned so we do not want to risk it.”
Although the associations do not see eye-to-eye over control of the Border Box, both sides are waiting for the MEC for Transport, Butana Khompela, to give them a definite spot from where they can operate.
“We do not know who to turn to for help because the government has still not said anything. As far as we know, government has bought land by Maseru Bridge and there were plans of how the rank would be. We were told there was already money for the rank.
“Border box was just someone’s property. Government has no responsibility in this case. Due to the chaos at the bridge, we understand that we can park our empty cars at the Border Box. We lease the land just to park our empty taxis. The owner does not want a taxi rank there. It can only be a taxi rank if they have agreed with the government. But he said he will not let out the area as a taxi rank,” Letutu said.
The Manyatseng representative also rubbished claims that some of their members are fronting for government officials.
Letutu said: “That has been doing the round for a long time. But anyone who is saying that should produce prove this fronting.”