The Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula yesterday briefed the portfolio committee on tourism about interventions to prevent attacks on long-distance bus operators.

A task force consisting of the police, the South African Revenue Service, the National Prosecuting Authority and the National Intelligence Agency is recommended to investigate the violence affecting long-distance buses across the country.

In addition, the National Department of Transport also proposes that an integrated stabilization plan be developed by the security priority committee of the National Joint Operational Intelligence Structures (Natjoints).

Mbalula says the ongoing attacks, intimidation and extortion are blatant criminality.

Those who believe they have the right to kill and maim TO get ahead and eliminate competition belong in jail.

Mbalula has blamed the door of the taxi industry.

He says the Department is committed to working with law enforcement authorities to deal with these criminal acts decisively.

Mbalula says the following measures are being considered to reinforce law enforcement interventions to prevent long distance bus attacks:

• Declaring a nationwide moratorium on the issuing of all operating licences. A countrywide approach is important to undermine the inter-Provincial nature of the extortion and racketeering activities, that fuel violence and killings.
• Implementing urgent measures to build capacity for municipalities to ensure operating licences are issued based on up-to-date Integrated Transport Plans as required by law.
• Putting in place enforceable by-laws to regulate ranking facilities. This intervention will require coordination at the Provincial level to ensure uniformity that can be enforced by law enforcement authorities.

In addition, serious attention is being given to amending conditions of all operating licences to explicitly provide for the suspension and withdrawal of operating licences in terms of section 79(2)(b) where an operator is found to have been party to extortion and racketeering activities.

A complaints line and monitoring mechanism for extortion and racketeering activities are also in the pipeline.

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This should include evidence of collusion by members of the SAPS and/or traffic officers as provided for in the NLTA Amendment Bill that is yet to be signed into law.

Mbalula says the proposed interventions to prevent long distance bus attacks are part of the broader package of interventions that will be implemented through the Inter-Ministerial Committee led by Minister of Police Bheki Cele.