Western Cape Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie says the murder of a Paarl taxi boss is a blow to transport operations in the area.
52-year-old Siyabulela Mandyoli was the chairperson of the Paarl Alliance Taxi Association. PATA is affiliated to the CODETA Region of the South African National Taxi Council. Mandyoli was gunned down outside his home, in Mbekweni, on Tuesday. The suspects are still being sought. While some say his murder could be linked to the infamous B97 route, the motive is still under investigation by Mbekweni police officials.
READ MORE: CODETA’s B97 route taxi boss gunned down in suspected hit
The Western Cape Mobility Department says it is supporting the probe, with senior officials who participated in an urgent briefing on the matter early yesterday morning. The said officials will also meet with the industry leadership in the coming days to assess the situation and establish the relevant facts.
BEEFED UP SECURITY
“This incident is a blow to transport operations in the area and I am extremely concerned about the impact on commuters. People need to get to work safely; children need to get to school safely. This is my number one priority and I urge all role players to prioritise the safety of commuters with strong leadership and respect for each other and the rule of law. Minibus taxi services continue to operate today, with increased security presence by authorities in Mbekweni, surrounding areas and at the Bellville public transport interchange,” says Mackenzie.
KNOWN AS ‘THE PEACEMAKER’
Mackenzie adds that Mandyoli played a key role in working to restore and maintain peace, in the area, which has been riddled with taxi-related conflict.
“Mr. Mandyoli played an important role in the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between PATA and the CATA Boland Taxi Association that resulted in the reopening of route B97 (Mbekweni – Paarl – Bellville). The signing of the MOA ended years of conflict between the two associations for control of route B97. Both parties agreed to co-exist and to jointly provide services on this route. We have asked SAPS to prioritise this case,” adds Mackenzie.
SUSPECTS STILL AT LARGE
The department has reiterated a plea to those who may have information, regarding the killing, to contact police.
