By Akani Nkuna
The South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) has slammed online calls to shut down malls in Gauteng in protest against taxi violence, warning that such actions would harm workers and businesses.
The calls come amid escalating tensions between taxi operators and e-hailing drivers, particularly after a recent incident at Maponya Mall in Soweto.
In a statement on Monday, SACCAWU spokesperson Sithembele Tshwete said the shutdown threats posed a serious risk to livelihoods, noting that more than 120,000 workers affiliated with the union would be severely affected by lost income.
He reaffirmed the union’s opposition to the calls, stressing that they would not allow workers to be used as collateral in the conflict.
“Irresponsible statements in social media threatening the closure of malls are a direct attack on the on job security of our members. We will not take this lying down,” said Tshwete.
“In the same breath the violence fuelled by criminal elements within the taxi industry is directly affecting the safety and job security of our members. This violence is also chasing away investors in these malls. We faced with retrenchments caused by store closures store relocations as result of volatile business environment.”
The threats follow a violent incident at Maponya Mall in Soweto last Thursday, when taxi drivers allegedly killed two e-hailing drivers and left a passenger wounded in a territorial dispute. Taxi operators claim that e-hailing services at the mall threaten the survival of the taxi industry.
The killings sparked protests, with residents taking to the streets and blocking access to the mall.
They demanded the removal of taxis from the premises and warned that unless management provided a solution to protect both shoppers and e-hailing drivers from taxi violence, they would shut down the mall.
As calls to shut down the mall gained traction on social media, SACCAWU spokesperson Sithembele Tswete urged the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) to take full responsibility for the violence, saying the attacks had brought the industry into disrepute.
He further called on SANTACO to implement practical measures to restore public confidence and ensure that those implicated are held accountable under the law.
“Communities within which these malls are situated need to work closely with workers at these malls. There needs to be a structured way of fighting this crime and that includes collaboration between worker representatives of our mall committees, communities and law enforcement,” Tshwete added.
SACCAWU also called on government to strengthen regulation of the taxi industry, arguing that it has long operated outside the law with little accountability.
The union said the sector is notorious for intimidating citizens and disregarding rules, yet continues to function with minimal legal consequences.
“We call on government to urgently tighten regulation of the taxi industry. It is no secret that some within the sector are taking the law into their own hands. Intimidation of customers choosing their preferred mode of transport is on the rise, both inside and outside malls,” Tshwete said.
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