Taxi Report 2009

AfriForum

Taxi

Report

2009

Study commissioned by AfriForum andcompiled by Dr Piet Croucamp, University of Johannesburg

0

Bernadine Kruger

"I was driving in a westerly direction. The traffic was heavy and we were moving

very slowly. I saw the girl on her little scooter going in an easterly direction. She

was in the left-hand lane. Then I saw the taxi speeding up behind her and hooting at

her. Just as she wanted to change lanes, he hit her full-on. I saw her mouth open

when he hit her. She fell and then he drove over her. It wasn't a pretty sight."

– Hugo Vermaak, a witness to the accident of Bernadine Kruger

1

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 3

2. Intentions of the report 4

3. Brief review of the social origins and history of the taxi industry 5

4. The objectives of traffic law enforcement 7

5. Recommendations 7

6. Conclusions 10

7. Addendum of letters sent to AfriForum 12

2

1. INTRODUCTION

The Traffic Offence Survey of 2003 assessed the presence of traffic officers on South Africa’s

roads. The report reflected a particular concern that “traffic officers were observed only 5

times over a total distance of 4 600 kilometres, travelled over a period of about 2½ months on

the inter-city and inter-provincial road network”. In only three of their observations of law

enforcement officials, these officials were involved in active law enforcement operations. In

the context of the lawlessness experienced on South Africa’s roads, enforcement (or the lack

thereof) seems to go to the heart of the problem. It not only reflects on the shortage of law

enforcement personnel, it also reflects on the levels of performance in the country’s system of

policing. More recent data is very difficult to obtain, no comparative evidence exists to testify

to an improvement in this regard since the report’s publication in 2003.

The taxi transport industry, and the state’s interest in its formalisation (from the informal

economy to the formal economy), have been in the political and public discourse well before

the political transition, and since 1994 the state has indeed renewed its endeavours to embed

a regulatory framework of stability in and control of an industry which daily transports more

than 60 per cent of all commuters in South Africa. The fact that these endeavours are still

largely contested by various role-players in the industry, and that the industry is still plagued by

violence, as well as an absence of sufficient consensus as regards a regulatory framework for

the industry, testifies to the complexities of the relationship between the state’s authority and

volatile societal/economic interests.

A matter of grave concern, however, is the extent to which the confrontational and often violent

behaviour of the taxi industry permeates the rights of law-abiding road users specifically, but

also the broader public in general. A study conducted by the Automobile Association of South

Africa (AA) recorded approximately 70 000 minibus taxi crashes, which indicates that taxis are

involved in twice the number of accidents of all other road users combined. The frequent

disregard for rules, regulations and legislation by taxi drivers have entrenched a perception of

lawlessness about the industry, which not only has consequences for the viability of the

industry, but also impacts on the behaviour of other means of transport. The media often

report about instances of road rage and physical confrontations between motorists and taxi

drivers, and aggressive driving by taxis have led to the (valid) perception of South Africa’s

roads being inordinately unsafe and dangerous. Complaints by motorists of being intimidated

by taxi drivers at accident scenes are too numerous and substantiated by witnesses to ignore.

3

In brief, the concerns above serve as the motivation for this report. It is, however, also true

that this research was initiated in the aftermath of the tragic death of Bernadine Kruger, a 16-

year-old girl, who had been on her way to school. The driver of the taxi that was responsible

for her death, was found guilty of murder on 10 September 2009. Her death, for many, was

another reminder of the treacherous conditions faced by road users in South Africa.

2. INTENTIONS OF THIS REPORT

The complexities of regulation and control, as regards the taxi industry of South Africa, not

only reflects the curious configuration of a convoluted conundrum, but it also seems to be

assumed to be an enduring feature of the political and economic architecture of state-societal

relations in South Africa. This report is not intended to add to that discourse. AfriForum,

however, believes that a sufficient statutory and regulatory framework does exist at the sphere

of local and municipal governance, and should compliance with the existing road traffic and

transport regime be enforced, the behaviour of the taxi industry could be changed significantly.

The recommendations of this report are therefore aimed at contributing to the discourse on the

need for implementation of an existing regime.

The disorderly behaviour of taxi drivers, however, has a particular historical and social origin.

It may well not be possible to fundamentally alter the behavioural features of the industry – or

taxi drivers – without implanting a regime of control, negotiated and agreed upon by all vested

interests, on the industry as a whole. For instance, unless the system of remuneration is

changed, taxi drivers will continue to subvert road regulations and rules in an effort to

supplement their income. The highly competitive nature of the informal transport economy,

largely due to the inordinate number of taxis entering the market, puts enormous pressure on

the owners of vehicles to maximize profits by minimising running costs, including the

remuneration of drivers. This dynamic has been negotiated between labour unions (mainly the

South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union – Satawu), the Departments of Transport

and Trade and Industry, and the representatives of the taxi industry (amongst others the South

African National Taxi Council – Santaco), for years now, and a solution does not seem to be

imminent. AfriForum, therefore will in this report merely review the history of the industry for

the purposes of contextualizing its understanding of the problem of disorder on the country’s

roads.

4

3. BRIEF REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRY

The multi-billion-rand minibus taxi industry carries over 60 per cent of South Africa’s

commuters. The industry is almost entirely made up of kombi-like buses with a passenger

capacity of 16 to 24 seats – more recently vehicles with up to 40 or more seats have begun to

emerge on the longer distance routes. These commuter buses often do not comply with

roadworthy regulations, and all too often do not meet with minimum safety standards and

regulations required for passenger transport. Minibus taxi drivers are well-known for their

disregard for the road rules and their proclivity for dangerously overloading their vehicles with

passengers.

Prior to 1987, the taxi industry was highly regulated and controlled by the state, and black taxi

operators were declined permits more for political than operational reasons. Post 1987, the

industry was rapidly deregulated, leading to an influx of new minibus taxi operators, keen to

make money from the high demand for this service. Because the industry was largely

unregulated and the official regulating bodies either too weak to enforce regulatory

compliance, or all too often viewed as corrupt by taxi operators, the industry became

exceptionally violent and perhaps even criminal. Due to an ineffective, unregulated market,

and the fierceness of competition for passengers and lucrative routes, taxi operators banded

together to form local and national associations. These associations soon became engaged in

anti-competitive price-fixing, exhibited mafia-like tactics, resolved to hiring hit-men to eliminate

opposition. In areas in Gauteng and the Western Cape, a connective tissue emerged between

the organised drug trade and gang warfare.

The economic drivers for the wars were intertwined with political unrest around the time of the

fall of apartheid in 1994. Commuters were regularly the target of political violence which

proliferated throughout South Africa. Often, the warring factions involved were from opposing

political parties such as the IFP and ANC. In the years leading up to the abolition of apartheid,

the government was accused of having actively encouraged this violence so as to destabilise

its political opposition. This opportunistic presence of the state exhibited a remarkable

institutional continuity, for example: in 1998, 13 police officers were charged with complicity in

taxi violence, and in August 2009, the new Commissioner of Police, Bheki Cele, expressed his

concern about the continued role and presence of government officials in the instabilities within

the taxi industry.

5

Between 1994 and 1999, a total of 1 439 people died and a further 2 151 were injured in

violence attributed to the hostilities between taxi associations in South Africa. During 1996,

deaths (312) and injuries (616) reached a peak due to violent confrontations in the KwaZulu-

Natal Midlands and disputes between taxi associations over routes and ranks in and around

Johannesburg. In Gauteng, after 1997, Soshanguve became a flashpoint, and remained so

for another four years. During 1996, the National Assembly of South Africa adopted the final

Constitution of the Republic and appropriately also initiated a statutory framework for co-

operation between the taxi industry and the state (the National Taxi Task Team – NTTT).

During this time, allegations of state involvement in the protracted conflict and violence in the

industry was widely reported in the media, but perhaps more sinister was that fact the

dominant role-players in the industry raised similar allegations at public meetings held by the

NTTT. In many respects, the consequences of the conflict were more profound than dead

bodies and proliferating crime statistics. It also went to the heart of governance in a post-

conflict society. Apart from the systemic corruption – described as such with significant

justification by numerous research reports, as well as the findings of the NTTT Report – the

opportunistic relational architecture of conflict and violence in the industry also had detrimental

and divisive consequences for the South African Police Service (SAPS), as well as the state

departments involved with the regulation of the transport industry.

It is an unfortunate reality that the agreements, compromises and truces between dominant

role-players in the industry, or between the state and the industry, aimed at resolving the

conflict in the industry, are continuously challenged and renegotiated as conditions and the

demands of dominant role-players vary or change. In this regard, it is unfortunate that few of

the recommendations of the well-intended NTTT could be institutionalized. In a theoretical

parlance, the continued confrontational nature of the taxi industry may well be due to the

weaknesses associated with libertarian state formation in post-conflict societies. With the

inception of the new Constitution, a democratic dispensation needed to be implanted and

nurtured in a society devoid of the required social capital (connective tissue) and consensus,

which, it is assumed, underlie a constitutional state. In this regard, the taxi industry of South

Africa has been a very good example of a social and economic phenomenon defying the

dominance of the state, and forcing the latter into compromises on the rules, regulations and

values of the country’s political economy. Amongst its other features, the taxi industry has

emerged not only as an important social partner/contender in the state’s democratic project,

but it has also negotiated – and often renegotiated – its participation, and regime preferences,

in the policy formulation process.

6

4. THE OBJECTIVES OF TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT

The objectives of traffic law enforcement should be:

• Preventative – while punishing offenders, especially repeat offenders, is important, the

tragic consequences of not enforcing preventative measures too often precede

punishment.

• Active visibility of traffic enforcement should be increased. Too often busy intersections

are unattended, especially so in cases of so-called electricity blackouts.

• The enforcement of traffic offences shuld be considered as critical and listed as such.

• All too often the road-using public expresses a lack of trust and confidence in traffic and

law enforcement officials. While this will be addressed by a greater efficiency on the

part of the police and metro-police, a campaign initiated by the state to convince the

public of an acceptable level of law enforcement, is important.

• The response time of officials is a grave concern amongst the public, and is often

mooted in the media as evidence for an absent and inefficient state. This problem is

partially rooted in the limited number of officials available, but perhaps more so due to

inadequate patrol schedules.

• Traffic congestion is often a specific reason for taxis to transgress road laws and

regulations. Prudent personnel management alone may not resolve the occurrence of

traffic congestion, but may instil a degree of order which will address the most serious

safety concerns of road users. A master-plan of flashpoints, particularly busy

intersections, and areas where taxis are concentrated in large numbers, will allow

officials to pre-empt problematic situations.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Traffic law enforcement must be declared an emergency and essential service.

2. The taxi industry should be included in a broader framework of authority and control,

such as, for instance, the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRT). If time-schedules and

loading zones are determined and enforced by municipalities, as is envisaged for the

BRT system, the motivation for speeding will be reduced. In this respect, the

government already has the support of the biggest labour union (Satawu), who on

numerous occasions voiced their support for the inclusion of the taxi industry into the

BRT system.

7

3. Ideally, taxis should be, by law, forced to use recognized ranks (determined by local

councils) and existing bus-stops when loading passengers. For the purposes of the

BRT system, these passenger loading zones will be increased to allow for frequent

stops. Local councils should consider extending such facilities beyond the

infrastructure in support of the BRT system. As it is, commuters are allowed to board a

taxi almost anywhere, a practice which is a tremendous inconvenience to other road

users, as well as being a particularly dangerous traffic violation. While taxi drivers will

have to be policed to conform to the law in this regard, commuters will have to be

educated through a public awareness campaign of the dangers of the practice, and the

advantages of a more ordered system. It will however be important to focus on both

taxi drivers and commuters.

4. The remuneration regime of taxi drivers, more often than not, includes a basic salary,

which is then supplemented by an amount, varying depending on the number of

passengers transported. This practice is largely an incentive for taxi drivers not only to

speed, but it also encourages other equally dangerous traffic violations, such as

ignoring red traffic lights. The Departments of Public Works, Trade and Industry, and

Labour, as well as trade unions and the taxi industry have been negotiating the

remuneration regime at various forums, over a number of years, and still no alternative

system could be concluded. A Sectoral Determination for the taxi sector, suggested by

both the state and Satawu – even launched in 2005 by Minister of Labour,

Mr Mdladlana – have been resisted by large taxi associations for more than a decade.

If, however, operating practices, route allocation and the positioning of ranks become

an extension of the BRT system, the possibility of changing to a fixed system of

remuneration system also emerges.

5. Conclusions of an exploratory study conducted during June-July 2009 by the

Department of Politics of the University of Johannesburg suggested that visible policing

still remains the most effective deterrent for traffic violators. At particularly busy and

dangerous intersections monitored in the suburbs of Linden and Emmerentia, almost no

traffic violations occurred during a two-hour period (from 06:30 to 08:30) with the metro

police stationed in clearly visible positions. On subsequent days, with the metro police

not in position, one in five taxis either crossed the red traffic signal, or overtook in a

manner dangerous to other road users in an effort to circumvent the peak-hour

congestion at these intersections. While it is impossible for law enforcers to monitor all

busy intersections in urban metropoles, it may be worth reconsidering the management

of point’s men and police to ensure that a perception prevails of all areas being

monitored in some or other way. A further suggestion would be for a camera monitor-

8

system at targeted intersections, which do actually lead to legal action being instituted

against the identified offenders. If such a system is implemented, in conjunction with

the proposed point-system, whereby (taxi) drivers may eventually loose their licenses

for repeating road traffic violations, it may well inhibit the perception of an absent

system of policing and a porous road traffic regime.

6. The efficiency of the National Traffic Call Centre should be evaluated and its

functioning and purpose should be explained to the public through an awareness

(advertising) campaign.

7. The main objective of traffic patrols is to reduce lawlessness and road accidents.

Systems should be in place to regularly measure and monitor the extent to which these

two objectives have been achieved. Public trust and confidence will increase

exponentially if these measures not only prove to be successful, but are regularly

communicated to road users. During December 2005 and January 2006 the Road

Traffic Management Corporation reported that as part of a survey provincial traffic

officers in six of the nine provinces indicated they had “issued 304 298 tickets for

speeding and arrested 954 drivers at roadblocks for driving under the influence”. So-

called “moving violations”, which refer to illegal and unsafe overtaking, ignoring traffic

signals, and general disregard for traffic signs, netted only 3 330 tickets. Obviously

municipalities regard certain categories of transgressions as easy money, while the

more dangerous traffic offences, which contribute disproportionately to deaths on the

roads, are not policed as rigorously. This, is a management problem, and needs to be

addressed at the highest levels of decision-making.

8. South Africa’s road infrastructure is not designed to provide for needs specific to the

taxi industry. Except for bus terminals and taxi ranks, no provision is made for taxis to

load passengers. With the formulation on policy for the BRT-system, the taxi industry

should be drawn into the processes and procedures of the system’s evolvement,

ensuring that the latter comply with the safety standards and organizational behaviour

of the BRT system. In other words; taxis must use the infrastructure of the BRT-

system, with no alternative loading zones. In this way, commuters will be educated to

use terminals, and not attempt to stop taxis at areas dangerous to other road users.

9. The Taxi Recapitalisation Process and the BRT-system should be combined as a

process to provide for incentives for Santaco (South African National Taxi Council) and

the NTA (National Taxi Alliance) to cooperate with state towards regulation. This will

not only facilitate the formalisation of the industry, but also subject it to the regulatory

regime of the state. Regulation will precede control and compliance, without which

road safety endeavours may well end up meaningless. The process is already

9

underway, as announced by the Minister of Transport, Endeavours Ndebele, on

26 June 2009. Meetings were facilitated with the leadership of the National Taxi

Alliance (NTA), the most dominant taxi association opposing the BRT-system and the

Recapitalisation Programme. The consultations were broad-based and included

provincial departments as well as a large number of municipalities. Referring to a

“CODESA” of the taxi industry, he announced five strategic areas of concern and

action:

a) Implementing the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system and other Integrated

Public Transport Network (IPTN) projects.

b) Taxi subsidisation and the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme.

c) Legislation, licensing and regulatory issues.

d) Enterprise development.

e) Communication and stakeholder engagement.

The only concern pertaining to the process is that road safety seems not be addressed

specifically at all. The Department of Transport seems to suggest that the CODESA-process

assumes a regulated industry to be a compliant industry.

6. CONCLUSION

The public perception of lawlessness in the behaviour of taxi drivers is real and of great

concern. The extent of trauma and rage experienced by motorists and other road users is

more than just anecdotal, it relates to an industry that is unregulated and uncontrolled. The

problem goes beyond the attitude of individual taxi drivers; it originates in the social relations

within the industry, but is also reflective of the relationship between the state and the taxi

industry. Municipalities and the local sphere of governance are under tremendous stress to

govern efficiently, root out corruption and control the often volatile interest within communities.

The fragile and under-resourced institutions at local level do not contain sufficient authority to

maintain order in their constituencies. The argument is often advanced that the state in

South Africa is too weak to institute control, too corrupt to maintain order, and too under-

resourced to implement its good intentions. This may not be true for all areas of state’s

interests. However, the safety of South Africa’s citizens – as it relates to crime and disorder,

could be considered, and be substantiated with empirical evidence – as an area where the

normative assumptions about democratic regimes are severely tested.

10

The state has an interest in maintaining good order, and it has an interest in the safety of its

citizens. The taxi industry needs to take responsibility for the public perception of being

beyond control and a danger to road-users generally. The history of the industry indicates that

it cannot control itself, and the state needs to take practical and policy steps to enforce

compliance with road-safety regulations.

Much of the content of this report are in the public domain already, it has been considered as

part of a volatile discourse on the industry and its relationship with the authoritative

architecture of the state for some time. This report may just be another reminder of the

urgency required to establish good order on our roads. Bernadine Kruger, like so many other

children in South Africa, may have been saved, if only we had taken responsibility for good

order in this country.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

11

7. ADDENDUM OF LETTERS SENT TO AFRIFORUM

After the death of Bernadine Kruger, AfriForum launched a comprehensive campaign to

ensure that the government would clamp down on lawlessness and reckless driving amongst

taxi drivers. Amongst other actions, the campaign included the commissioning of this report.

Members of the public were also asked to share their experiences with taxis with AfriForum.

Unfortunately too many e-mails were received to include all. Some of the most telling

examples, appear below (in the order and language received, not edited). AfriForum wishes to

thank the public for their cooperation and support of this campaign.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chris: Sir, re taxi drivers. Like 16-year-old Bernadine Kruger, my best friend’s 42-year-old son Alister McClarty was tragically killed by a taxi on the wrong side of the road on Friday 20th February 2009 in Witkoppen Road, Sandton, in a head-on accident. Alister was also run over and jammed under the taxi that then caught fire. He was burnt to death. How can we join forces to ensure the authorities do something to stop these murders?

Anonymous: I would like to bring the following to your attention. On Friday, 20 February 2009, I took my wife to work. We drove along Kelly Street, Boskruin, to get to her work. It is a single-lane road and the next minute a group of taxis passed us on the sidewalk. People were walking on the sidewalk and were chased off by the taxi’s hooters. My wife, who uses this road every day, says this is a daily occurrence. Traffic officers in cars in the traffic, simply look the other way.

Daleen: I will definitely sign your petition, as this morning, 27 February 2009, a taxi driver pushed us off the road. The taxi was so close to us that he touched our side-mirror, we could not even get off the road, as there were trees next to us. After all the drama the taxi-driver jumped out and charged at my husband with a screwdriver. If my husband did not duck, he would not have been with us any longer. The scratch where the screwdriver grazed him, is clearly visible on his chest. What can we do, you do not have a chance against taxi drivers and lately they have more rights than we do.

Elzabe: Just want to tell you what happened yesterday morning at about 08:00 to me. Driving over Silvia's Pass towards Norwood/Orange Grove from Eastgate, a taxi skipped a stop street and rammed into my car. Mine being a brand new Micra with paper number plates still! When I requested his details he burst out laughing and just ignored me. When I insisted, he said I should have let him pass as I could clearly see he had a load of passengers to take to work. I insisted that he give me details – ending up grabbing his cell phone I made for my car. He then got out of his taxi starting to hit my car and shoving it, yelling at me. Calling me “A white b***h” and that he “Will f*****g kill me”. All this time not one single person stopped or even tried to assist me. This went on for about 20 minutes with cars passing on both sides of my car. The name and number on the taxi stated Mr M M Mzile x 083 975 8997. Have phoned this number, but this guy as soon as he hears what it is about just disconnects – guilty? Maybe you can try to get to talk to him as I do not believe that the SAPS will do much. They did not even respond to two calls. One from myself and another from a friend that I called to tell her what was happening. Letting taxi drivers like him/them get away with this kind of behaviour makes them think it is okay – and trust me it is not. I just took a stand yesterday morning – I know I am a small voice in the dark but brother, did it feel good!

Co: Here needs to be law and order! May I also ask you to ask the Minister to pay attention to the total state of disorder on our roads. Not only re taxi drivers. I am a technical rep who travels 5 000 to 6 000 km. per month and daily see how people – women with children, young people, old people, white, black, no matter who, all – transgress traffic rules. I feel like an idiot for making a point of stopping at stop signs! Not just slowing down and then driving ahead, no! Stopping! Or even worse, as the habit today is, you will stop and someone else will come from left or right and drive straight through without stopping! The basic principles is thrown through the window like a cigarette butt. Sick!

12

Petro: I am a pensioner and walk every Tuesday to shop to buy my groceries. Taxis make a point of parking right across pedestrian crossings at traffic lights, even though I may be standing there, waiting to cross. When the robot changes, they stay right there and I cannot cross.

Johan: I was on the road between Kroonstad and Ventersburg. I was behind three other cars when a full taxi passed us all at about 160 km/h. It was on a white line, blind incline and two cars coming from ahead had to swerve away to avoid a head-to-head accident. Not only were the lives of all of the passengers in danger, but also the lives of all of the other motorists on that stretch of road at that moment.

Pierre: A taxi came from behind the yellow line on the left and made a u-turn straight in front of my friend. She crashed into him, fortunately with minimal damage to her car, but the taxi did not even have number plates and told her that he has no insurance. He just got into the taxi and drove off ...

Marianne: ±November 2008 there were road works in Charles Street, Pretoria, with two lanes becoming one. After giving three cars room to drive in front of me, I proceeded, unaware of the taxi which also wanted to get into the lane in front of my car. He kept on driving until I had to stop and then proceeded in front of me. The driver made sure that I would be able to see him in his mirror, pointed his finger at me and motioned with his finger across his neck, showing me that he will cut my throat. Well, being a woman on my own, all I could do was continue behind him up to the traffic light where I turned off, watching him threatening me all the way. New regulations and infrastructure for the transport of commuters between home and work should really become a priority now, in order for the lack of order and aggression of taxis and motorists to come to an end!

Jack: Ek kry soms die idee almal aanvaar dit maar net gelate dat sekere verkeersreëls nie meer vir minibus taxi’s geld nie. Dit is hulle reg om verkeersreëls te oortree soos dit hulle pas. ŉ Voorbeeld daarvan wat ek elke oggend beleef, is die afdraai vanuit John Vorster (Centurion) regs in Oaklaan by die Engen-garage. Alhoewel daar twee bane is wat kan draai, en die ander twee net reguit kan ry, is daar elke oggend taxi’s wat in die reguit baan voor al die verkeer indraai en oor die rooi verkeerslig dan regs draai. Dieselfde gebeur dan by die volgende verkeerslig waar daar ook twee draai bane en twee reguit-ry bane is. Die uiteinde daarvan is woedende en moedelose motoriste wat tot dusvêr geduldig in die verkeer gewag het wat nou dieselfde begin doen. Wat vir die taxi’s toelaatbaar is, is dan mos ook vir my toelaatbaar! Dit lyk ook asof die verkeersdepartement hulle net blind hou daarvoor. Maar laat ek net 10 km. oor die spoedgrens ry, dan het ek dit!

Ansie: My seun, 23-jaar oud, het vir ontspanning fiets gery na werk op 26 November 2007 en is deur taxi omgery. Die taxi se spoed kon nie vasgestel word nie en al die passasiers in die taxi het natuurlik vertel die taxi bestuurder is onskuldig. My seun is by sy aankoms by die hospitaal dood verklaar. Die man wat vir my seun se dood verantwoordelik was, was nooit eens toegesluit nie, en by navrae moet ons altyd hoor die saak is nog aan die gang en word nog ondersoek. Die taxi-bestuurder gaan ewe rustig met sy lewe voort. My seun was op die kruin van sy lewe, ŉ belowende werk (hy sou die volgende dag meegedeel geword het dat hy aangestel is as die meester ambagsman en sou dus die jongste meester ambagsman in Kumba gewees het), ŉ nuwe liefde ... Wat ŉ blink toekoms kon hy nie gehad het nie.

Charlotte: Ek is ŉ 57-jarige vrou en het my werk onlangs bedank, omdat ek soggens en na werk van Westdene na Bryanston 06:30 tot 18:00 net nie meet kon verdra om te bestuur nie. Onlangs was ek in Vista Kliniek vir behandeling, ek ly aan erge woede uitbarstings, en distonie, dit het so erg geraak dat as hulle my van die pad afdruk dan het ek aan die gil geraak en kon nie ophou nie. Die laaste strooi was toe die een taxi my een oggend oor Jan Smuts en Mainstraat oor die rooi robot stoot, omdat ek nie wou ry nie, en ek toe net daar uitklim met my “gearlock” en die taxi wou stukkend slaan. Dit kos my twee weke in Vista net voor Kersfees en toe ek uitkom kon ek twee dae werk toe gaan, toe gee ek my bedanking in weens gesondheidsredes. Sedertdien het ek amper twee maande weggekruip in die huis, en nou sukkel ek om ŉ werk te kry, want ek wonder wat sê my ou werk as iemand skakel vir ŉ verwysing? “O ja, sy het hier gewerk, maar sy is ŉ bietjie mal, sy was in Vista, sy wou mos taxi’s slaan!” Of wat?

Lettie: Ons woon duskant Krugersdorp en ry dikwels na Northgate heen en weer met Beyers Naudelaan. Dit is meestal ŉ nagmerrie! In 2007 was ek in Beyers Naude op pad terug na Ruimsig met spitsverkeer, en het taxi’s steeds links en regs verbygeploeter op klippe, slegte area, maak nie saak nie, hulle wurg verby, en op ŉ kol kon een taxi nie vinnig genoeg links van my verbykom nie as gevolg van ŉ paal, maar toe hy eindelik kon verby met ons stadige beweging na vorentoe, slaan hy my truspieël dat dit aan ŉ draad hang ... ek het vinnig ŉ selfoto van die taxi geneem om later aan te meld, maar kort daarna is my selfoon uit die handsak gesteel sonder dat ek dit agtergekom het! Toe is al my “evidence” daarmee heen. So, wat ek saam oor kla, is die wildheid, die ongeskiktheid, die maak soos ons wil houding van taxi’s, hulle wetteloosheid, hulle onverdraagsaamheid, en skade en geestelike uitputting wat hulle veroorsaak. Die leiers moet intree, moet optree! Moet staal wys! Moet hulle wysheid en eerlikheid wys!

13

Janine: Ask anyone that has ever driven through a town/city like Butterworth or Umtata. There are NO rules on the road, not even a red robot means STOP. Saddest of all is that there are never any traffic officials at these points, they prefer trapping for speed on the outskirts of town. Fines don’t mean anything, taxis just don’t pay the fines!

Francois: Re regulering van taxibedryf. My voorstel: ŉ vloot taxi’s behoort aan gewoonlik ŉ sakeman. Elke sakeman moet sy vloot registreer by die departement van Vervoer as ŉ diensverskaffer. Hy kry ŉ diensverskaffersnommer wat op sy taxi’s moet voorkom. As hy sekere punte of verkeersoortredings teen sy nommer het, word sy hele vloot van die pad gehaal. Hy moet dus verantwoordelikheid en aanspreeklikheid vir sy bestuurders se gedrag vat, anders gaan hy geld verloor of sy besigheid. Die regte persoon moet gestraf word.

Bianca, ŉ baie bekommerde Suid-Afrikaner: Een middag het ŉ taxi voor my ingedraai en het my met geen keuse gelaat as om hard te briek en te laat te stop nie. Het in die taxi vasgery. Die taxi-drywer het my blameer vir die ongeluk. Op dieselfde pad wat ek huis en werk toe ry, vat die taxi's vreeslik baie kanse met baie dinge. Hulle ry net soos hulle wil, en stop net waar en wanneer hulle wil, en party keer stop hulle sommer in die middel van die pad reg voor jou. Die taxi-drywers ry heel links van die pad en draai dan regs en andersom. Dit is ŉ groot wonder hoe die meeste van die taxi-drywers op die pad kan ry met taxi's wat uitmekaar val. Ek voel vreeslik onveilig op die pad. Iets moet drasties gedoen word aan die situasie op ons paaie, want dit gaan nie stop nie. Die roete wat die taxi's so erg ry en die pad oorneem gebeur baie op die roete van Modderfontein wat na Wynberg toe gaan. Hoe kan enige normale mens veilig voel op die paaie met die taxi's wat so roekeloos en onverskillig bestuur. Geen wonder ons Suid-Afrikaanse mense vlug na ander lande toe nie!

Henk: Ek is van Rustenburg en ervaar ook daagliks die wetteloosheid van taxi's wat links van jou wat op teerpad ry, verbykom, die stop of robot ignoreer en net verby daardie stop of robot eenvoudig “hazzards” aansit, stop in die pad en mense op- of aflaai. Dan praat ek nie eens van die sogenaamde wetstoepassers wat ander pad sit en kyk nie.

André: Ek woon in die ooste van Pretoria en dit is duidelik dat taxi’s hulle eie stel “verkeersreëls” het en geen respek het vir hulle passasiers of ander padgebruikers se veiligheid nie. Stop in kruisings om passasiers af te laai, hoë spoed, afsny van ander voertuie en verbygaan op die geel streep links, is gebruiklik. Verkeersdepartement, wat word gedoen om dit reg te stel? Oënskynlik bitter min! Hoekom?

Lynnette: Dit is vir ons ŉ groot probleem met die taxi’s, veral in Stormvoëlstraat. Sodra hulle sien jy is vrou alleen, dan word jy afgedruk van die pad en hulle sny voor jou in. Dan is daar nog die probleem by Glenmore en Ingersol waar daar ŉ eendraaibaan is. Dan maak hulle dit ŉ tweedraaibaan, ry voor jou in, druk jou van die pad teen die ander verkeer in en as Ingersol staan, ry hulle sommer teen die verkeer op, sodat die motors wat van voor kom teen die sypaadjie moet ry, sodat hulle die baan kan gebruik. Ons moet net iets hieraan kan doen.

Mada: Ek het vir jare vanaf Centurion gery om te gaan werk in Kemptonpark, en alhoewel die Ou Johannesburgpad ŉ enkelbaan is na beide rigtings, en al die gewone motorvoertuite maar in die tou sit en wag in spitstyd, het honderde taxi’s die heeltyd onwettig verbygejaag op die grond aan beide kante van die pad. Ons voertuie is natuurlik toegetakel onder ŉ stort klippies en gruis, en ons kon niks daaraan doen nie. Ek werk nie meer in Kempton nie, maar ek sien presies dieselfde gebeur nog op daardie pad. Darem lekker om ŉ taxibestuurder te wees, ry waar jy wil, beskadig ander mense se karre en wag nooit in die ry nie.

Marius: Op 17 Februarie 2009, was ek op pad huis toe op my motorfiets. Ek was op die N1 Suid ongeveer 2 km. voor die Rivonia-afdraai, in die middelbaan van die snelweg. ŉ Taxi wat in die regterbaan was, besluit om voor my in te swaai, sonder om te kyk, aan te dui of enigiets. Hy het my so hard gestamp dat ek nog ŉ voertuig getref het. Terwyl ek in die hospitaal was vir behandeling, het die taxi-eienaar nog die vermetelheid om my vrou te skakel en R3 000 te eis vir skade aan sy voertuig, en haar te probeer oorreed om nie ŉ saak by die polisie te maak nie. Nie dat ek dink die polisie regtig iets teen die taxi wil of kan doen nie. Ek dink dat die taxi-eienaars verantwoordelik gehou moet word vir hulle bestuurders se optrede, net soos ander besighede verantwoordelik gehou word vir hulle werknemers se optrede. Straf die bestuurder, maar as daar baie oortredings is van een eienaar se voertuie is, dan moet ons die eienaar straf deur sy “trade licence” weg te neem of op te skort. Hulle sal eers begin leer as daar aan hulle beursies gevat word.

Carina: Waar ŉ mens by die robot vanaf die R21 in Elephantstraat afdraai, teen die opdraande, met ŉ enkelbaan, stop taxi’s daagliks om passasiers op of af te laai, blokkeer die verkeer en wys vir jou tekens as jy toet. ŉ Blok verder, by Lion, wat ŉ baie besige kruising is soggens omdat dit toegang is tot Monumentpark Laerskool, stop taxi’s feitlik op die kruising en versper die uitsig van almal wat wil draai of oorgaan. In die

14

meer as 4-jaar wat ek die pad op ŉ daaglikse basis ry, het ek nog nooit enige wetstoepassers daar gesien nie! As wette nie afgedwing word nie, hoef dit net sowel nie te bestaan nie.

Nelia: Net nadat die kind deur die taxi doodgery is, het ek in Atterburyweg in Pretoria gery in ŉ oostelike rigting. Die robot was rooi vir die verkeer in Atterbury en twee taxi’s het oor die rooi lig gery en so half in die middel van die robot tot stilstand gekom om passasiers te ruil. Die agterste een gaan toe verby die voorste een en toe sowaar as wragties maak die voorste een ŉ u-draai in die twee bane waar hy veronderstel is om vorentoe te ry. Hou nou in gedagte die lig is groen vir die verkeer dwarsoor Atterbury, maar niemand kan ry nie, want die twee taxi’s het besluit dis tyd om te stop en u-draai in die middel van die kruising te maak. Ek het onmiddellik my toeter gedruk, maar hulle vloek en skel mens dan net.

Charmain: Ek dink elke bestuurder in die land het ŉ storie. Taxi’s ry voor jou in, en wys vir jou vinger. Hulle kom van die linkerkantste baan en druk voor almal in. Indien hulle dubbelflikkers aan is, mag hulle enigiets doen. Hulle stop onwettig op paaie waar daar net 2 voertuie op ŉ slag kan ry. Hulle stop in robots, 4-rigting stopstrate en die aankomende verkeer moet maar wag. Hulle ry teen ongelooflike spoed in ŉ 60 sone of die ander alternatief wat ek al gesien het, ry 30 km per uur. Ek woon in die Wes-Rand en as ek moet sê hoeveel taxi's met skoolkinders in al voor my ingery het, gaan ek jok. Dit is byna daagliks. As die ouers moes weet watter gevaar hulle kinders in gestel word daagliks, sal hulle probeer na ŉ alternatief soek. Ek stel voor dat bestuurders vir ŉ spesiale bestuurderskursus moet gaan en elke 3 maande hersien word, waarin daar ook gekyk moet word na oortredings begaan in die tyd. Daar moet ook ŉ stelsel wees waar Jan Alleman hulle kan verkla en daar werklik iets aan gedoen kan word. Spesiale taxi-optel/aflaaipunte soos met die busdienste moet beskikbaargestel word. Laastens moet die Metro-polisie meer doen aan die taxi's en ook op punte staan waar daar die probleme is – hulle word net nie gesien nie.

Ernie: Ek was ook deel van ŉ tragiese tref en trap-storie op die hoek van Garsfonteinweg en Loisstraat so ongeveer 1½-jaar gelede. Ek het op my resies fiets (ek is ŉ Noord-Transvaal fietsryer) gery, was bo van my fiets af gestap en daar gelos. Die saak is by die polisie aangemeld en ŉ mediese verslag was ook ingedien.

Mynhardt: Wanneer jy van die N2 afklim op die Baden Powellpad na Muizenberg toe, moet jy werklik versigtig wees. Taxi's gebruik die geel streep en areas wat gebruik word om op die N2 te klim bo-op die brug om verkeer verby te steek. Wanneer jy die afrit neem, jaag die taxi's (wat jy nie agter die verkeer kan sien aan kom nie) met spoed op jou af en “flash” dan ligte dat jy uit die pad moet kom, of jaag om jou en druk jou van die pad as daar aankomende verkeer kom.

Rudi: Ek is Saterdagoggend reg voor ŉ polisiestasie deur ŉ taxi raakgery. Ek het ŉ werk gekry en het vir my ŉ fiets gekoop om mee werk toe te ry. Ek het in ŉ hoofstraat beweeg waarna ŉ taxi my van agter gestamp het. Met die wat die taxi my tref, het ek van die fiets afgespring en het die taxi bo-oor my fiets gery en het hy weggejaag. Ek was gelukkig dat net my been gebreek was. Ek het vandag by my nuwe werkgewer ingestap met krukke en gips.

Barbara: My enigste seun, Retief, was op die oggend van 11 Oktober 2006 op pad werk toe op sy motorfiets vanaf Valhalla. Net anderkant die brug het ŉ man skielik reg voor hom ŉ u-draai gemaak. My seun is in hom in. Hy was dadelik bewusteloos en is 3-weke later oorlede in die hospitaal sonder om wakker te word. Die saak is by Lyttelton SAPD. Nou 2+ jaar later was die saak nog nie voor die hof nie en die beskuldigde is glo weg! Dit is waarvoor ek al my werkslewe belasting betaal het!

Anoniem: My suster se jarelange skoolvriendin het haar laerskoolkinders by die skool gaan afhaal en by ‘n robot gestop. ‘n Taxi-bestuurder het agterin haar motor vasgery. Voor sy eens kon uitklim, was hy langs haar motor en vra of sy ‘n probleem het. Sy het bloot geantwoord dat hulle die polisie moet verwittig en hy het ‘n vuurwapen uitgehaal en haar voor haar kinders doodgeskiet. Nodeloos om te sê dat hy slegs vier jaar in die tronk was daarvoor. Dit het wel al ‘n geruime tyd terug gebeur, maar dit bly verskriklik.

Marne: Ek wil graag weet hoekom die taxi se eienaar nie aangekla word – dis mos sy werker. Net soos my besigheid verantwoordelik is vir my personeel, so ook moet die taxi-eienaar verantwoordelik wees vir sy drywer – niemand kla ooit die eienaar van die taxi aan nie! Hy het hom in diens geneem en is verantwoordelik.

Pieter: Die een dag sê `n taxi-bestuurder vir my die rede hoekom hulle so ry, is dat hoe meer hulle ry (hoe vinniger), hoe meer geld verdien hulle. Wat van die ander van ons, ons moet ook by die werk kom, so ons moet ure vroeër ry om betyds by die werk te kom omdat hulle meer geld wil maak. Ek het al baie gedink hoe kan `n mens die geel lyn bestuur bekamp, en het op een moontlike oplossing gekom. Sê maar jy word gevang, moet jou voertuig in beslag geneem word en gehou word vir minstens twee weke, jy moet `n boete

15

betaal van minstens R1 000, plus stoorgeld vir jou voertuig, so R2 500. Eers dan kan jy jou voertuig terugkry. As die staat dit doen, sal mense twee keer dink om in die geel streep te ry. Ek is ook nie onskuldig nie, want almal het al een of twee keer daar gery, die vraag is net wat was die rede? Myne was toe iemand by my ma se huis ingebreek het en toe my vrou in kraam gegaan het, maar in nie een van die gevalle het ek mense se lewens in gevaar gestel, of ontwrig nie. As daar maar net iemand was vir wie ek my idee (oplossing) kon gee, dink ek dit mag dalk net werk.

Marietjie: Ek ry elke dag vanaf Samrand na Modderfontein waar ek werk en laai my dogter af in Isando waar sy werksaam is. Ek (ons) het al vir meer as ŉ jaar lank elke liewe dag ŉ baie noue ontkoming met taxi's. Het verlede Vrydag beleef hoe drie taxi's, waarvan een vol passasiers was, ŉ man vastrek van agter, voor en die kant. Dit was heel skrikwekkend, want ek het direk langs die man in die regterbaan in die tou gestaan in die verkeer om oor die robot te kom om op die N1 terug te ry Samrand toe. En om nie eens te praat van die taxi's op Isando Road nie, dit is ŉ nagmerrie, elke oomblik van my rit!

Ina: In 2007 was ek twee keer in bosings met taxi’s. Die eerste keer het ŉ taxi in Andriesstraat uit sy parkering gery net toe ek langs hom was, beide my kar se deure moes reggemaak word. Die tweede keer het ŉ taxi van die heel linkerkantste baan regoor die straat na die regterkant gekom en my modderskerm gestamp. Met die eerste ongeluk het ek met die hulp van ŉ vriend al die besonderhede van die taxi verkry. Ek was twee keer by sy huis, maar daar was beide kere niemand tuis nie. Hulle was eenkeer by my werk om te reël hoe hulle gaan betaal vir die skade. Toe ek hulle ŉ week later bel, sou hulle my meedeel dat hulle nie geld het nie. Ek kan nie assuransie vir my kar nie bekostig nie.

Yolandi: In April 2008, is my skoonma in Ottosdal omgery deur `n taxi, hy het bo-oor haar gery en toe weer. Sy het bloeding op die brein gekry en is met noodoperasie in Krugersdorp geopereer. Sy was in ŉ koma gewees en haar glasco skaal was 3 uit 15, dis so goed soos dood. Was vir 2 maande in ICU – kritiek, die dokter het gesê sy gaan dit nie maak nie. Sy is oorgeplaas Klerksdorp toe en moes van voor af leer loop, sy het 29 kg. geweeg. Die taximan het niks oorgekom nie, dieselfde dag verder taxi gery. `n Jaar later gaan dit beter, maar sy is op medikasie. Sy het by die dood omgedraai, en geen haan het ooit weer gekraai na daardie dag in Ottosdal nie. Met genade van die Here het sy daardie dag oorleef. Haar hospitaalkoste is meer as R595 000.

Myda: My dogter, Marise, is saam met haar niggie, Rosanne, op 5 April 2000 op die hoek van Paul Kruger- en Flowerstraat in Pretoria getref deur ŉ onpadwaardige taxi. Marise is op die toneel dood – hoofopskrifte in koerante die volgende dag – wat ŉ skok! Daardie leë plek in ons harte sal nooit gevul word nie. Die ongelisensieerde taxibestuurder het net ŉ 2-jaar opgeskorte vonnis gekry. Ons het nie die hofverrigtinge bygewoon nie, want wat help dit? As gevolg van die skok is my man ŉ diabeet en sy gesondheid is in die weegskaal. Niemand weet hoe dit voel om ŉ kind aan die dood af te staan tot jy self daar by ŉ graf staan nie.

Ben: Ek kan soos menige burger ŉ storie oor taxi's vertel, maar ek wil eerder vra: is dit die taxi's wat ŉ probleem is, of is dit ons wetstoepassing wat die probleem veroorsaak? “Passiewe” polisiëring (as gevolg van die veiligheid van die wetstoepassers en seker ook maar om korrupsie en omkopery uit te skakel) is aan die orde van die dag. Bykans die enigste verkeerswetstoepassing is spoedlokvalle – ons wetstoepassers sit langs die pad met sy/haar apparaat, neem slegs foto's van oortreders. Waarom kan tegnologie dan nie ook by robotte en op ander strategiese punte, waar taxi's hulle voortdurend aan oortredings skuldig maak, geïmplementeer word nie?

Antoinette: Ek werk in Wynberg, Johannesburg, en moet elke dag deur Alexandria ry. Die een middag terwyl die verkeer druk was op die Bucclue-wisselaar, het ŉ taxi aan my linkerkant probeer verbykom, maar daar het ŉ kar in die noodlyn gestaan, so die taxi kon nie verbykom nie. Hy het sy toeter gedruk en my gevloek, maar ek het net voor my gekyk so moeilik as wat dit was, toe hy uiteindelik kon verbygaan het hy sy hand by sy venster uitgesit en my spieëltjie afgeslaan. Ek het so geskrik en nie geweet wat om te doen nie behalwe om maar huis toe te ry en maar te gaan betaal het vir ŉ nuwe spieëltjie. Wat kan ŉ mens doen? Die taxi's het nie ŉ saak met enige iemand behalwe hulleself nie. Ek het so moeg geraak vir die taxi's wat in die oggende en in die middae by Crowthorn, Kyalami, in die aankomende verkeer se bane ry en die mense van voor af moet maar stop en uit die pad uit kom dat die taxi's kan verbygaan, dat ek begin foto's neem van dit en aan die Metro gestuur het om asseblief iets daaraan te doen, maar sedert die e-pos wat ek aan die Metro gestuur het, was nog niks daaraan gedoen nie. Ek het ook verlede Donderdag in die verkeer gesit in Kyalami en gesien dat die Metro daar was, maar wat gebeur? ŉ Taxi het nog steeds op die grond aan die linkerkant verbygejaag en reguit oor die robot gery daar waar jy eintlik moes gedraai het, daar waar die Metro kar gestaan het, en wat gebeur toe? Hy word nie eers gestop of afgetrek nie, nee, die ouens wat daar wil linksdraai wat op die stukkie grond gery het, word afgetrek, toe een van die mans vra nou wat van die

16

taxi's, toe lag die Metroman vir hom en sê hy moet maar eerder ry. Dit het my woedend gemaak. Nou weet ek ook waar “road rage” vandaan kom. As daar iemand is wat dit lees, asseblief help! Die land het hulp nodig.

Waldie: Ek is ŉ fietsryer – gistermiddag (17:30) stop ek by ŉ vierrigting-kruising (stopstraat) in die dorp. Ek kon eerste ry want ek was eerste daar – ek het ŉ taxi sien aankom en het besef die man gaan nie stop nie. Die bestuurder was nie ouer as 30/33 jaar nie. Ek het toe maar vir hom gewag, maar met sy verbykomslag my hand in ŉ vraagteken vir hom gewaai en “gevra” hoekom hy nie stop nie (ek het beslis nie geswets of beledig nie!). Met sy linkerhand het hy ŉ pakkie “chips” en die stuurwiel vasgehou, terwyl hy met die regterhand geëet het. (Op die fiets kon ek duidelik tot binne in die bussie sien). Om my “vraag” te antwoord, het hy bloot vir ŉ oomblik opgehou met eet en sy middelvinger vir my in die lug gedruk ...

Johan: Die taxi’s vat elke weeksoggend kortpad deur Vistastraat om ŉ stuk van die besige Atterburyweg te omseil. Waar hulle uit Vista in die klein gedeelte van Trevor Gettingstraat inkom, gaan hulle ons almal op die sperlyn teen aankomende verkeer verby en druk voor in by Jaquelinestraat. Ek het foto’s aangestuur vir die Metro-afdeling, maar nooit iets van hulle gehoor nie. Het ons nog Metropolisie? Ons sien nooit een in die ooste van Pretoria nie!

Ruvann: I can try to report each “taxi-experience” separately, but I don't think there's enough space on the internet for all the stories, so I'm only going to make a list of the things that happen almost daily and that I can remember!1. Turning in at a corner from the no-turning lanes, and also then simply cutting in, in front of you through the corner.2. Driving straight in turn-only lanes, even when there are double turning lanes.3. Taxis stop wherever they want, even in the street, and then swear at the other drivers for hooting at them.4. Cutting a person off the road, causing damage to your car!5. Cutting in wherever they want without signalling, regardless of any surrounding traffic or travelling speed.6. Slowing down in any kind of traffic and cutting in, in front all other cars, to go around a corner because they don't want to be in the queue of cars in the turning lane.7. Stopping and parking their taxis in the road even when it's peak traffic!8. Stopping in the road in a main road (70 km/h) to pick someone up.9. Driving on pavements, in emergency lanes, or literally anywhere to skip some traffic.10. Driving the wrong way around in a one-way road.11. Signalling for a lane change after they cut in front of you and change lanes.12. Swearing at other drivers for driving according to the law. Example: when you drive 120 km/h on the highway and they swear, flash lights, and hoot at you for not breaking the law and going faster.13. Running over red lights!14. And the worst one of them all! Doing any of these things in the presence of police, and the police not even blinking an eye about it! Pathetic!This is seriously getting out of hand and if nothing is done about this, I would not be surprised if the death toll from taxi-related accidents eventually will exceed that of the AIDS death toll.

“Keelvol”: Op ŉ daaglikse basis jaag taxi's oor rooi ligte, in noodbane verby lang rye motoriste wat geduldig hulle beurt afwag. Hoekom? Vir my gaan dit alles oor wetstoepassing. Omdat wette nie toegepas word nie, het daar ŉ kultuur ontstaan van wetsongehoorsaamheid en steur mense hulle nie meer aan verkeersreëls nie. En kom ons wees eerlik: Dit is nie net taxi-bestuurders wat hulle skuldig maak hieraan nie (alhoewel hulle hoofsaaklik skuldig is). Vir meeste motoriste beteken ŉ oranje lig: “Gee vet!” Dit voel vir my asof wetstoepassers net “sagte teikens” teiken. Spoedlokvalle buite spitsure waar hulle gerieflik in hulle motors sit; parkeermeter-oortreders wat geen gevaar inhou vir ander nie, ensovoorts. Waar is hulle tydens spitsure? Vir ŉ week lank hou ek 3 metropolisie-beamptes dop waar hulle elke oggend op die hoek van Schoeman- en Schubartstraat by die Pretoria hof staan, druk in gesprek en terwyl ek by die robot wag, draai ten minste 2 taxi's vanuit ŉ nie-draai baan links in Schoeman. Hulle sien dit nie eers nie, of hulle wil dit nie sien nie. O ja, en die kultuur waar een en almal dink dat mens enige plek kan stop – in die middel van die pad – solank jy net jou noodligte aansit! Dan laai taxi’s rustig mense op of af – na die duiwel met almal wat agter ons moet stop en die verkeer wat ophoop. Installeer kameras by elke robot wat rooilig-jaers kan vasvat.

Sunaé: Woensdag het ek oor ŉ groen robot gery in Lynnwoodweg. Toe “skip” ŉ taxi die robot – was rooi vir hom gewees. Ek swaai uit, amper in hom vas, breek my toon en gewrig, en voel of ŉ trein my getrap het. Natuurlik jaag die taxi toe weg!

Lorraine: Die 14de Januarie 2009 het my seun, Jaco, van die werk af gery. Hy het afgery in Marshallstraat en op die hoek van Endstraat het ŉ taxi die rooi robot verontagsaam en my seun op sy motorfiets getref. My

17

seun se linkerbeen het sleg gebreek, sy milt het gebars, sy regterpols is gebreek en hy het ŉ groot gat in sy linkermaermerrie gehad. Die drywer wou wegry en een van die getuies het voor hom ingery en hom gestop. My seun se motorfiets is afgeskryf en hy het hom maar net 2 maande gehad – geen assuransie op die motorfiets nie. Jeppe SAPD het ŉ saak gemaak, maar tot en met vandag het nog niks gebeur nie! Ons kry nie eers die eienaar of die drywer van die taxi in die hande nie. Die taxi is nie eers geregistreer nie en het ook nie ŉ permit om te opereer nie! My seun sit met baie hoë mediese koste, want hy het nie ŉ mediese fonds nie.

Emarencia: Ek was in Mei 2008 in ŉ botsing betrokke, want ŉ taxibestuurder het nie gestop by ŉ kruising nie. Ek het ernstige rugbeserings opgedoen.

Gerhard: Hierdie is nie ŉ eenmalige gebeurtenis nie, dit gebeur daagliks by die kruising van Pretoriaweg en Waltloo/Watermeyerstrate. Daar is 4 verkeersbane wat vanaf Mamelodi se kant af (m.a.w. noord na suid) beweeg by hierdie kruising. Twee van hulle is bedoel vir verkeer wat regs wil draai in Pretoriaweg in en die ander twee is om reguit aan te beweeg vanaf Waltlooweg na Watermeyer. Dit is nou al normaal vir taxi’s om in een van die bane wat reguit aanbeweeg te ry en voor die stilstaande verkeer in die twee regsdraaibane (wat wag vir die flikkerpyl om regs te draai) te gaan stop, en sodra die verkeersligte rooi is in alle rigtings (wat ŉ paar sekondes duur), hulle regsdraai uit te voer. Hierdie gebeurtenis het al reg voor Metropolisielede in ŉ voertuig plaasgevind en dit is doodeenvoudig geïgnoreer.

“D”: Ek is ŉ polisielid. Probeer jy as polisielid en in ŉ gemerkte polisievoertuig bietjie ŉ taxi wat die wet oortree, aftrek. Hulle weier net volstrek. En as jy dit wel regkry, is daar binne oomblikke ander wat hom help. Hulle het geen gevoel vir die wet en wetstoepassers nie. Kom ry bietjie saam en ondervind dit self. En dan raak die passasiers ook nog moeilik!

Melt: In Februarie 2009 is my seun amper deur ŉ taxi op die sypaadjie voor Lynnwood Laerskool raakgery. Die taxi het vinnig aan die linkerkant van ŉ voertuig probeer verbygaan. Toe hy sien dat hy dit nie gaan maak nie, het hy eenvoudig op die sypaadjie gery. My seun se boetie het hom net betyds uit die pad geruk. Die taxi het weggery voordat ons die registrasienommer kon kry.

Sonja: Since I started travelling from Germiston to Roodepoort, my blood pressure has increased 150%. Traffic is bad enough with the road works, but the arrogance of the taxi drivers just makes it reach boiling point. On the highway between Gordon Road and Maraisburg, they drive at breakneck speed, then stick their arms out telling you to stop, so that they can enter the lane again, but then to your surprise they stop dead in front of you, so that the 15 other taxis can also enter in front of them. Waiting to go onto the highway at the Gordon onramp is the worst: they use the side lane which is supposed to be for the people living in the houses on Hendrik Potgieter, so that they can jump the cue. It is enough to give one a heart attack. I have tried being nice and giving them the benefit of the doubt, but enough is enough. When it takes you 2 and a half hours to go 52 km because they don’t adhere to road rules. I say enough!

Cynthia: Delmas is ŉ plattelandse dorpie, met te veel taxi's en te min wet en orde. Sedert die oprigting van robotte is dit vir die taxidrywers ŉ tydverdryf om ons reg van weg te versper waar hulle wil en dan oor te jaag terwyl ŉ robot geel is. Met ander woorde, ons het al geleer om te stop by ŉ robot, selfs al is hy groen, want 95% van die ongelukke in ons dorpie is taxi’s wat nie wil stop by ŉ robot nie. Tweedens hulle stop en laai af waar hulle wil, selfs al is daar ŉ bord wat lees “Geen taxi’s”.

Marietjie: Ek werk by Nasrec. Dit is totaal en al nag hoe die taxi's ry. Ek het ŉ week terug ŉ boete gekry en dit nadat ŉ taxi my sou stamp as ek nie na die ander baan ingegaan het nie. Die polisiebeampte het als gesien, maar ek was in verkeerde baan, so hy het my die boete gegee.

Mathilda: Ek wil die aandag vestig op Allandaleweg, ek en my man ry daai pad elke dag van Kemptonpark af na Randburg. Die taxi’s daar is ŉ nagmerrie, hulle gee nie ŉ flenter om nie. Hulle druk voor jou in en as jy nie toegee nie, word ŉ mens gevloek en hulle dreig om jou kar te stamp. Baie van hulle ry aan die teenoorgestelde kant van die pad op en maak nie saak wat voor hulle is nie, hulle ry net. Ek was self in ŉ baie ongemaklike situasie met ŉ taxi wat my heeltemal van die pad afgedruk het. Ek het doodeenvoudig dood gestop en hy kon nêrens heen gaan nie. Hy het uitgeklim en gedreig hy sal my skiet as ek nie ry nie. Daar gelaat en eerder gery voor ek ook in ŉ kis opeindig.

Cynthia: As jy nou regtig taxi’s wil sien wat oortree, ry in die more op Beyers Naude regoor die Wespark-begraafplaas. Die taxi’s ry 3 langs mekaar in ŉ tweebaan pad, hulle blokkeer motors wat links draai in Judithstraat en as jy iets doen, dan vloek hulle jou. Dit vat 20 minute om 100 meter te ry om verby al die taxi’s te kom.

18

Louis: Ek het baie simpatie met Bernadine se ouers, want ek het dieselfde paadjie bykans 3-jaar gelede geloop. My seun, toe 18-jaar oud en in matriek, was op pad huis toe van die skool af met sy motortjie. By die kruising van Hans Strydom- en Kierieklapperstraat in Waterkloof het ŉ taxi teen ŉ hengse spoed deur die rooi verkeerslig gejaag en my seun se motor teen die kant getref. Die paramedici moes hom uit sy motor sny. Hy is drie dae later in die hospitaal oorlede as gevolg van breinbeserings. Nodeloos om te noem, my haat teen taxi's het daardie dag ongelooflik vermenigvuldig. Dit was ook die draaipunt in my lewe om die groot besluit te neem om die land te verlaat.

Hendrik: Ek was ŉ slagoffer van ŉ taxi-tref en trap-ongeluk in November 2008. Ek was onderweg na Johannesburg. By ŉ 4-rigting stopkruising, nadat ek gestop het en die reg op ry gehad het, het ŉ taxi van die ander rigting, sonder ŉ poging om stil te hou, deurgejaag en my uit die pad gejaag. Hy het op die anderkantste sypaadjie beland en toe weer terug na die oorkant, deur ŉ betonmuur en in ŉ tuin tot stilstand gekom. Hierna het die bestuurder uitgespring en weggehardloop. Ek het genadiglik met die lewe en sonder ernstige beserings hiervan afgekom. Terloops daar was ŉ ooggetuie wat die gebeure bevestig. My skade is R80 000, indien dit moontlik sal wees om my goed opgepaste Polo 2003 te herstel. My mediese koste en my verlore bril is by die bedrag ingereken. Tot op datum kon my prokureur geen reaksie van die taxi-eienaar kry nie. Of die booswig ooit gevang sal word, word sterk betwyfel.

Carlette: My seun is ŉ brandweerman wat vandeesweek beseer is in ŉ ongeluk met ŉ taxi. Dit het in spitsverkeer gebeur. Die impak was so groot dat dit die watertenk en brandslange afgeruk het van die 4x4. Die een meisie se skouer en sleutelbeen is gebreek en die ander het veelvuldige snywonde aan haar gesig. In hierdie stadium kan my seun nog nie beweeg nie. Die taxibestuurder is gearresteer. Hy het blykbaar nie ŉ lisensie gehad nie.

Desmond: Ek is nes derduisende (miljoene?) padgebruikers moeg vir die oorgrote meerderheid taxibestuurders se “min-gepla-ek-maak-nes-ek-wil”-houding. Daar moet iets gedoen word anders gaan ons treur oor ons kinders, geliefdes en kennisse wat gaan omkom in hierdie gemors. My voorstel is dat ons die optrede los vir hulle wie se werk dit is, naamlik die verkeersbeamptes, polisie en metropolisie. Ek weet dat hulle in hierdie stadium weinig tot niks doen nie, maar ons moet hulle forseer om dit te doen aangesien ons hulle salarisse betaal deur middel van belasting. Ons kan van nou af elke Vrydag om 12:00 ons voertuie se ligte aanskakel en ons toeters vir ŉ minuut lank blaas sodat ons geregsdienaars kan hoor en sien dat ons dik is en dat ons optrede vereis teen die absolute verset teen wet en orde.

Morne: We cannot be unrealistic and campaign to remove taxis from our roads, because the fact remains that they do serve a critical function of providing transport to millions of South Africans every day. Without transport people would be stuck, and it will bring productivity to a standstill in South Africa if the workforce cannot get to work. But drivers need to be controlled. So here is an idea: the biggest problem is just that any person who can sort of drive, or has enough contacts to either buy a licence or a minibus, can just become a taxi driver. If I buy a truck or a bus today, I cannot just become a truck/bus driver, I need to write and pass a special licensing exam. The taxi industry should be controlled much more efficiently in the same fashion. They are after all responsible for the lives of the people that they transport, not so? For instance: if you want to become a taxi driver, in addition to your normal driver’s licence, you should also have a special taxi licence. To obtain this licence, you must first pass an advanced driving course, and write a rigorous exam on the rules of the road, and get tested thoroughly on it. Then, and only then, if you passed these criteria, will you be issued with a taxi licence. And you should only be able to buy a minibus if you already have the abovementioned licences, like when you want to buy a new TV and need to produce a TV licence first. Taxi drivers should also be forced to have their taxis checked for roadworthiness at least every quarter, and for this you get a stamp, like a servicing stamp. They should also have a refresher driving course every two years or so. And then of course there is the policing. If you are a taxi driver, and you are caught committing a traffic offence, or without the taxi licence, or proof of recent roadworthy checks, you should be fined heavily, and “marked” on the traffic system. You then get 30 days to get your stuff in order. If you are caught again, your taxi is impounded and your taxi licence removed, and only when you have complied with all of the requirements all over again, and paid another fine, can you get your taxi back. Normal traffic offence fines for taxis should be higher than for other motorists, especially if you have passengers when you are caught, because you are endangering innocent people's lives. If we can better regulate, and properly train and police our minibus taxis, making them safe and trustworthy to use, we will have a fantastic ready-made public transport system that is different from anywhere in the first world. A public transport system that actually collects and drops you at your door. Imagine how fantastic that would have been for 2010!

Lawrence: I would like to share my story with you. In September 2007, a friend and I were riding our bikes to another friend’s home in Pretoria. On the corner of Hans Strijdom and Olympus Lane, we wanted to turn

19

right into Olympus and were waiting to get a chance to cross the intersection. The light had turned red, but 2 speeding cars still came over the red light, about 2 seconds late. I looked again, saw that 2 cars had stopped at the line already and proceeded to cross the intersection with my friend on his bike just behind me. When I was halfway across, a taxi had dodged the stopped cars at the line and shot through the intersection, narrowly missing me by less than a meter at what must have been about 130 km/h. He veered away from me and hit my friend on his bike, sending him hurtling through the air and smashing the bike into pieces. The hair on my neck rose, time seemed to stand still, the anticipation of the “thump”, the adrenaline, the shock! Next thing I found myself running towards my friend lying motionless in the middle of the road, the bike at the other end, petrol and oil, skid marks and bike pieces littering the road. I saw other motorists phoning and looking on in shock, others were waving down oncoming cars, some approached us. I stared down at my friend, inspecting him for any disproportion and called out to him. He responded, I asked him to if he was in pain, he said not, but was very disorientated. I asked him to move his feet and fingers, which he could do. He sounded calm enough. And it is only due to God’s Hand that day that he is still alive. Then it hit me. Rage! The bastard that nearly killed us had managed to stop his taxi about 200 meters down the road. Enraged I ran down towards him as I saw the passengers were getting out. While I was still about 50 meters away, the last passenger climbed out and closed the sliding door and the driver proceeded to pull away. I got to the drivers door, opened the door and pulled him out and gave him the beating of his life. I remember the first thing that struck me was the smell of alcohol in the taxi. So, soon after a crowd gathered, the police came and I was arrested for Assault GBH – a serious charge I later learned. I was put into the back of the police van. I must say they managed to handled a volatile situation very well. Once back at the police station, a taxi load of “witnesses” came to give testament and from my holding cell I could hear how they testified there where no passengers in the taxi and other lies. I wonder, if I had not assaulted the driver, would we have found the responsible person later? The police never took a breathalyzer test, even after being requested to do so. The taxi driver was not even given a rap on the knuckles by the police, he was the victim. In court last year, the taxi driver was found guilty of negligence and sued for the damages that he caused, but he has since disappeared. My friend is still sitting with the debt of his written-off motorcycle and has not been compensated.

Elzabe: ŉ Taxi bestuurder het Januarie 2009 agter in my nuwe Honda Jazz in gery omdat ek by ŉ rooi verkeerslig stilgehou het en hy met ŉ geweldige spoed van agter gekom het en nie van plan was om by die lig te stop nie. Hy het uitgeklim, dit afgemaak as nie belangrik nie en weggery. Die skade aan my voertuig was R16 500, wat deur my versekering betaal is. My bybetaling was R2 000.00 en my premie is op met R120 per maand. Die onskuldige party moet boet net omdat jy die wet gehoorsaam deur by ŉ rooi verkeerslig stil te hou. Baie taxibestuurders is onbevoeg om te bestuur en dink hulle mag maak soos hulle wil, want hulle kom daarmee weg. Help ons! Ons is bang om te ry waar ons moet wees.

Jacques: Ek wil graag ŉ mening lug en ook ŉ voorstel indien rakende verkeersaangeleenthede. Eerstens, wanneer ŉ muur kraak, lê die fout by die fondasie. Ek stem nie saam met die oproep dat swaarder strawwe vir oortreders daargestel word nie. Dit is soos om vuller in die krake te stop. Daar moet aandag gegee word aan die fondasie, naamlik effektiewe wetstoepassing. Ek is van mening dat huidige wetgewing voldoende is, maar dat die kundige toepassing daarvan ver te kort skiet. Tweedens is ek ook van mening dat een van die grootste foute wat die staat gemaak het, was om Metropolisie departemente daar te stel en verkeer daarby in te lyf. Verkeer is nie hoog op enige Metropolisie departement se prioriteitslys nie, maar wel misdaadvoorkoming. Derhalwe wil ek voorstel dat onafhanklike munisipale verkeersafdelings wat uitsluitlik op verkeersaangeleenthede konsentreer, soos wat dit 20-jaar gelede was, heringestel word.

Dewald: Ons seun was op 26 Junie 2007 op pad na die gimnasium toe, toe ŉ taxi voor hom ingedraai het uit ŉ verkeerde baan en hy die taxi reg van voor getref het. Hy was toe in graad 11 en ŉ belowende student. Die ongeluk het ongeveer 14:00 gebeur. Genadiglik was daar ooggetuies wat gesien het hoe die ongeluk gebeur het. ŉ Paar dae na die ongeluk moes ons egter ontdek dat die polisieman wat op die ongelukstoneel was, nooit ŉ saaknommer oopgemaak het nie. Ek moes toe ŉ klag gaan lê teen die polisieman by die polisie se interne ondersoekeenheid. Ek weet egter nie wat die uiteinde van die saak was nie. Ons seun was vir 14 dae in ŉ koma en altesaam 21 dae in die intensiewe waakeenheid. Hy is aanvanklik gediagnoseer met bloeding op die brein en daar was ŉ groot moontlikheid dat hy breinskade opgedoen het, maar deur die Here se genade het ŉ wonderwerk plaasgevind en hy het sodanig herstel dat hy na 4 weke uit die hospital ontslaan is. Daar was egter nog ŉ lang pad van herstel voor hom na die breinbesering en daar is besluit dat hy nie sou teruggaan skool toe nie. Die laaste 6 maande van 2007 was hy dus nie in die skool nie. Omrede hy ŉ top student was, het die skoolhoof hom oorgesit na matriek toe en kon hy in Januarie 2008 weer teruggaan skool toe. Hy het wonder bo wonder 100% herstel in die tydperk en kon sy matriek voltooi met 4 onderskeidings en ŉ verdere 3 vakke in die 70’s. Hy het ook ŉ beurs gekry en studeer tans aan die Noordwes Universiteit. Om weer terug te kom na die ongeluk, die polisie het einde 2008 by ons huis aangekom en versoek dat ŉ ongeluk verslag (J88) deur die ongevalledokter ingevul moes word. Na vele

20

weke se gespook om die dokter weer in die hande te kry, is die voltooide vorm weer aan die polisie oorhandig. Die saak teen die die betrokke taxibestuurder is hangende en blykbaar sal die saak eersdaags in die hof voorkom.

Anoniem: Ek is van Polokwane. Elke oggend so tussen 07:00 en 08:00 by ŉ 4-rigting stopstraat maak die taxi's u-draaie en stop voor een van die systrate sodat die verkeer eers vir hulle moet wag voordat ons weer kan ry. Dit gebeur elke oggend. Dis op die hoek van De Wet en Bendor Drive en daar was nog nooit ŉ verkeersbeampte om iets daaromtrent te doen nie.

Jenni: I get very frustrated every morning as the taxis seem to think that they are too important to have to stand in line and push to the front. This occurs in AG de Witt Street in Bedfordview: there are two lanes going up the hill. This is an extremely busy intersection and also a dangerous one. The cars flow from down the hill, we queue coming up the hill and then stay in the right hand side lane to turn right into Kloof Road. We sometimes wait for 10 to 15 minutes, however every morning there are at least 4 to 5 taxis that drive up the left lane and at the last minute turn in front of us into Kloof Road . How do we go about getting officers at this intersection to catch these guys? They are also rude if you do not want to give them a gap. They force you out of the way. This is a hectic intersection. If we can wait in line, so can they. Maybe only when there is a few deaths at this corner will they do something. We need someone there fining these guys!

“Moedeloos”: Minibus taxi’s kom daagliks op die hoek van Piering- en Shalestrate in ŉ oostelike rigting in Elarduspark in die middel van die pad tot stilstand om passasiers open af te laai. Hierdie kruising is reg oorkant die Cornwall View-winkelsentrum. Sonder die taxiprobleem is hierdie alreeds ŉ gevaarlike kruising, aangesien daar geen verkeersligte is nie. Daar is egter ŉ geskikte plek ŉ paar meter voor hierdie kruising waar die taxi’s kan stilhou, maar hulle doen dit nie. Daar is ook geen “moenie stilhou” bordjies nie. Indien ŉ mens dus uit Shalestraat links of regs wil draai, kan jy glad nie aankomende verkeer sien nie, aangesien hierdie voertuie hulleself daar tuismaak en die sig versper. Daar was al heelwat ernstige ongelukke by hierdie kruising. Op 18 Maart het ek weer so ŉ insident beleef waar die taxi-bestuurder vir my en homself “vasparkeer” het. Ek het toeter geblaas om sy aandag te trek om vir hom te wys dat ek nie die aankomende verkeer kan sien nie. Hy het onmiddellik aggressief geraak en vir my in Afrikaans gesê: “Jy moet jou oë oopmaak. Moet ek jou leer om te ry?”

Gillian: I reside in Port Elizabeth. Last week, Thursday 12 March at approximately 11:30, I was on my way to Sharwoods, Langenhoven Drive, Greenacres. I was in the intersection travelling towards Sharwoods on Langenhoven when a Taxi did a U-turn in the intersection and swerved in front of me. I was travelling in the far left lane. For me it was either crash the taxi and write off my car or jump the pavement. As I have to use my car to help get my grandchildren to school, I opted for the pavement damaging the left front tyre. At the time, I was on my way to Sharwoods to pay for the 4 brand new tyres that I had put on two weeks previous. The taxi stopped. The “runner” was definitely under the influence and started to shout abuse at my daughter and myself. Apparently I was at fault. Whether he thought I was at fault or not, he was doing a U-turn in the middle of a very busy intersection. After this altercation, the taxi rode off.

Gerhard: Saterdagaand het ŉ taxi blindelings oor ŉ stopstraat gery, reg voor twee jong manne (Wikus en Darius) se voertuig in. Hulle moes uitswaai om ŉ ongeluk te vermy en het in ŉ aankomende voertuig vasgery. Die motors het voor twee ander voertuie beland en albei van daardie voertuie het ook gebots. Dus 4 onskuldige voertuie wat gebots het. Wikus se nekwerwels is erg beskadig en sy neus is van sy gesig geruk. Terwyl mense geskok sit en bloei, stop die taxi en die insittendes spring uit en beroof die beseerde mense. Daarna het die taxi weer weggejaag. Nie net wetteloos nie , maar ook gevoelloos ...

Ralph: Ek stel voor dat ŉ “webcam” oorweeg word vir ŉ spesifieke brandpunt. Sodanig kan die optrede van taxibestuurders in “real time” aan die hele wêreld blootgestel word deur die Internet. Ek is nie ŉ kundige op die gebied nie, maar indien die koste nie buitensporig is nie, is ek bereid om dit te borg.

Theo: Op 9 April 2009 omtrent 10:30 het ek in ŉ suidelike rigting gery op die Irene/Olifantsfonteinpad, en ŉ taxi het van die linkerkant af ingedruk en teen my motor gebots. Ek het twee ooggetuies, wat dit gesien gebeur het, ons het gestop en ek het sy bestuurslisensie gevra en hom versoek om af te trek om al sy besonderhede te kry, hy het geweier en weggery. By die 4-rigtingstop was die Metro polisie aan diens en ek het hulle in kennis gestel, maar hulle het net gesê dit is nie die moeite werd nie, ek moet dit maar net rapporteer en sy lisensie gaan inhandig by die polisie, hulle was nie bereid om hom agterna te sit nie, en hom in hegtenis te neem vir roekelose, nalatige bestuur, versuim om te stop by ŉ ongeluk wat hy veroorsaak het, en dat hy die ongelukstoneel verlaat het nie. Dit is totaal onaanvaarbaar en ek neem die Metro kwalik vir hulle nie traak my nie-agtige houding en dat hulle die persoon nie dadelik van die pad af getrek het nie. Ek is besig met regsnavrae in die verband. Ek het nie versekering nie.

21

Neels: Op 21 Julie 2007 was my vrou in ŉ ongeluk met ŉ taxi betrokke. Die bestuurder het ŉ rooi robot oorgesteek en haar getref. Sy is met veelvuldige beserings opgeneem in Glynnwood Hospitaal in Benoni. Natuurlik het hy nie ŉ ID-boekie of ŉ bestuurslisensie in sy besit gehad nie. My vrou het ŉ permanente breinbesering opgedoen en is met skisofrenie gediagnoseer. Sy kan nie na haarself omsien nie en word versorg in ŉ psigo-geriatriese kliniek. Haar versorging kan miljoene rande beloop. Die regering het besluit dat die gemeenskap self vir lang-termyn pasiënte moet sorg. Tot op hede (April 2009) is die strafsaak nog nie afgehandel nie. As gevolg van die feit dat dat die strafsaak nog nie afgehandel is nie, kan die derde-party eis ook nie voortgaan nie. Buiten duisende rande se mediese onkoste, is daar ŉ gesin wat emosioneel verwoes is en die skuldige ry seker nog steeds taxi. Dit is onaanvaarbaar. Wat het van reg en geregtigheid geword?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

22

Taxi Report 2009

Documents

Transcript of Taxi Report 2009