The South African National Taxi Council has praised the suspension of three taxi operators accused of assaulting a motorist in Vanderbijlpark. The incident, captured on a cellphone video, involved operators from the Civic Centre Taxi Association who suspected the driver of illegally transporting passengers. Police are investigating the case of common assault reported on January 12.
In Vanderbijlpark, a motorist faced a violent confrontation from members of the Civic Centre Taxi Association on January 12, 2026. The operators stopped the driver's private vehicle, accusing him of ferrying colleagues to work without authorization, and proceeded to assault him. The attack was recorded on a cellphone, drawing swift attention from authorities.
The victim promptly reported the incident to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Vanderbijlpark, leading to an ongoing investigation into common assault. A preliminary probe has already been completed, as confirmed by SAPS.
The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) responded decisively, welcoming the immediate suspension of the three implicated members. SANTACO President Abner Tsebe emphasized that such actions have no place in the industry. "We condemn violence assaults at any given time our members are not allowed to do that," Tsebe stated. "If there is an operation deemed illegal, there are processes that can be followed. We cannot at any given time assault our own and I’m proud of SANTACO region in Sedibeng in response they have done well to address the matter."
This event underscores ongoing tensions in South Africa's taxi sector, where associations enforce routes and operations strictly. SANTACO reiterated that no member has the authority to halt vehicles or resort to violence, advocating for legal channels to handle disputes.