KEY POINTS
- A 49-year-old woman was killed when a metro police vehicle, responding to a road blockade by two feuding taxi associations, lost control and struck her.
- The incident occurred amid a long-standing dispute between the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (Wata) and the Nancefield Dube West Association (Nanduwe) over operational routes.
- The tragedy has left a family devastated and highlighted the urgent need for resolution in the taxi industry’s ongoing conflicts.
A peaceful morning in Mofolo Central, Soweto, turned into a scene of chaos and tragedy yesterday when a metro police vehicle, responding to a road blockade by two warring taxi associations, lost control and struck a bystander, killing her instantly.
The incident has left the family devastated and raised questions about the ongoing feud between the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (Wata) and the Nancefield Dube West Association (Nanduwe).
Sowetanlive reports that the two taxi associations, locked in a bitter dispute over operational routes, had blocked several roads in Mofolo Central, causing widespread disruption.
Residents, including 49-year-old Nkele Sehube, ventured out of their homes after 6am to investigate the commotion. Little did Sehube know that the morning would end in unimaginable grief.
Sehube’s sister, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted the harrowing moments leading to her sibling’s death. “When I got there, I found my sister lying on her back.
As we tried to turn her, she said that her body was in pain and she was running out of breath. She kept calling my name and saying, ‘I can’t breathe. I am running out of air.’ I picked up a cardboard box from the side of the road and fanned her,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
A long-standing feud
The tragic accident is the latest escalation in a years-long dispute between Wata and Nanduwe over taxi routes in the area.
According to Wata spokesperson Hamilton Miya, the conflict reached a boiling point on January 16 when Nanduwe allegedly denied Wata members access to Machaba Drive in Mofolo Central.
Wata took the matter to court, and on January 25, a court order was issued granting both associations the right to share the routes.
However, tensions flared again yesterday when Nanduwe members reportedly blocked roads, defying the court order.
Miya expressed his frustration, stating, “Today we were surprised to find out that they [Nanduwe] closed all roads. The court order granted both associations [the right] to share the routes.”
