KwaNdengezi, Durban – A viral video depicting a violent assault has sparked a fierce transport dispute in KwaNdengezi, leading to suspended taxi services, barricaded roads, and stranded commuters.
Taxi operators halted services on Friday morning, demanding the release of vehicles impounded by Durban Metro Police during public transport enforcement operations. The impoundments followed allegations of a violent attack on an e-hailing driver and the intimidation of female passengers in the township. Smoke and road blockades brought parts of the area to a standstill as tensions escalated.
Zibuse Ngcamu from the KwaNdengezi Taxi Association stated that while the association condemns the incident captured on video, it believes the response has been disproportionate. “What happened on Wednesday was the first incident like that,” Ngcamu said. “Since the matter is with SAPS, we will wait for their response regarding the company’s compliance before taking further action. We were not present, but having seen the videos, we condemn what occurred.”
The service suspension has had severe ripple effects. Local widows, who depend entirely on taxis inherited from their late husbands to support their families, have been left without income. Commuters across the township reported being unable to reach workplaces or schools, prompting calls for dialogue. One community member urged: “Wherever there is a problem between the taxi industry and government, they must come to the table, discuss, and resolve the matter without affecting the community.”
The KZN E-Hailing Council attributes the ongoing tensions to misunderstandings about how the e-hailing sector operates and is calling for urgent government intervention. Sipho Mabika from the Council emphasized the need for regulatory clarity: “The Department of Transport is the entity that enforces the rules and regulations of the industry. As KZN E-Hailing, we know that e-hailing is now regulated. If the department can engage with SANTACO representatives and educate them on how e-hailing operates, it would help address these conflicts.”
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport confirmed it has received additional complaints involving the same security company implicated in the viral assault. Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for the KZN Transport Department, said: “MEC Siboniso Duma has received further complaints from residents and other e-hailing drivers in the township alleging harassment by the security company involved. Serious allegations have been leveled. We are in possession of video clips that will be handed over to the police. The destabilization of the public transport sector by security companies is something the MEC has raised on several occasions.”
The three security guards arrested in connection with the assault are expected to reappear in the Pinetown Magistrate Court on June 12 for their formal bail application. They face charges of attempted murder, malicious damage to property, and reckless and negligent driving.
