COSATU condemns taxi shootings
The Congress of South African Trade Unions deplores the loss of
life in the ongoing battle between rival taxi associations. We
send our condolences to the families of those who have died and
best wishes to the injured for a full recovery.
We demand the speedy arrest, trial and sentencing of those responsible
for these deadly shootings, not just those who pulled the triggers
but those who ordered the attacks on rival operators. We cannot
tolerate this bloodbath on our streets.
The victims of this violence are working-class commuters. They
already have to struggle to get to and from their work in overcrowded
and often unsafe minibus taxis. It is absolutely intolerable
that they should then also face death as they travel or stand
in queues, as rival taxi operators open fire on each other.
As well as short-term action to stop the violence and arrest its
perpetrators, these incidents reinforce COSATU's demand that
government must completely transform public transport.
We urgently need to create a high-quality public transport for
the 2010 World Cup, which will continue to be used by the majority
of travellers thereafter. We are building magnificent stadiums,
of which we will be justly proud. Let us provide equally good
public transport for the thousands of visitors getting to and
from these stadiums - transport of which we can be equally proud.
All travellers have the right to an efficient, punctual and above
all safe transport system. Far too many resources are being poured
into the Gautrain project, which will not even be finished by
2010 and will benefit only a wealthy minority of commuters. These
resources should instead be ploughed into improving Metrorail,
and all the bus services and other forms of transport used daily
by the vast majority of the population.