Over the last three years, the average conviction rate for taxi-related crimes stands at a pitiful 5.3%. This is revealed through Western Cape Government submissions to the legislature’s Standing Committee for Transport & Public Works. Of the 168 arrests made with respect to taxi violence since 2018, only 9 cases resulted in convictions.
MPP Ricardo Mackenzie says: “Although we have seen promising signs of stability since MEC Mitchell closed the B97 route between Mbekweni and Belville, we’ve now got to make sure that justice is actually seen to be done. But these figures showcase that the criminal justice system is under immense strain and seemingly unable to deal with the crimes committed.
For this reason, in my capacity as Chairperson of the Committee, I will be inviting the Head of Detectives, the National Prosecution Authority and the national Department of Justice to brief us at the legislature on the poor conviction rate and the reasons why it is so low. And more to the point: what is being done about this so that a very clear message is sent to criminals that this kind of behaviour won’t go without consequences.
There are still 84 cases of taxi violence on the court roll which have accumulated over the past three years. Cases in this regard are not limited to that of murder or attempted murder, but also situations of intimidation, extortion, possession of firearms and conspiring to commit murder.
Moving forward, we support the provincial inter-departmental cooperation between Community Safety and Transport & Public Works through the activation of the Court Watching Brief Unit. The Unit is set to monitor cases of taxi-related crimes, providing oversight of police conduct and reporting on any inefficiencies detected.
Once an inefficiency is detected, a comprehensive report is compiled and sent out to the authorities for further investigation. This is a promising tool in our arsenal for prevention of further taxi disruptions in the long run.”
Our priority remains commuter safety and convenience. Western Cape residents deserve nothing less.
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