Taxi commuters in Lebowakgomo, Limpopo, are appealing to the police to curb taxi violence in the area. Commuters coordinator Malose Modisha says they’re affected by the taxi conflict.

The Lebowakgomo and Zebediela taxi associations are fighting over routes.

Modisha says police must take action and arrest the perpetrators.

“They (started) again on this Monday. Some of them just throw stones at each other and the community is suffering and that is not good because all the commuters, we love and need them. We are appealing to the police, traffic and all the stakeholders from the govement to come and help us to solve this problem at Lebowakgomo. If somebody doesn’t have the permits, they must arrest them,” says Modisha

Police and traffic officers were at the Lebowakgomo taxi rank checking the permits of taxi operators. Some taxi operators were ordered by police to leave the taxi rank.

Commuters and businesses alike were affected.

A vendor, Julia Mooa, says she’s been negatively affected.

“This is negatively affecting our businesses. We are starving at home. We don’t know what to do, customers are afraid to come in large numbers and they even stopped the buses from operating. We don’t know what to do. We are praying they stop their disputes. They started slowly, but now they have intensified. They have been fighting for about two weeks,” she says.

Several taxis’ windows have been smashed as operators pelted objects at each other. The representatives of both warring associations say they have rights to operate in the area.

Taxi strike over local routes in Limpopo:

Meanwhile, Limpopo Transport and Community Safety MEC, Violet Mathye is calling for calm between warring taxi associations.

MEC Spokesperson, Tshifhiwa Dali, says a task team has been instituted to look into the conflict.

Lebowakgomo taxi strike affects businesses: