Mobility
With respect to the Intercape Bus Company confirming that it has sent numerous letters to government institutions seeking intervention in the developing feud between the company and various long-distance taxi associations in the Western Cape:
Whether his Department has received any letters from the company; if so, (a) what is his Department’s response and (b) how will the Department assist in easing this tension to ensure the safety of commuters?
[a] Yes, a letter was received from the company to draw our attention to criminal threats to the lives and livelihoods of, inter alia, long distance bus operators by individuals purporting to represent formal and informal associations within in the minibus-taxi industry in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Gauteng.
The relevant officials and I do not define the unfolding situation as a ‘feud’ between bus and minibus taxi operators, but rather as organised crime, perpetrated by a criminal element linked to the minibus taxi industry.
Therefore, upon receipt of the letter, I immediately took steps to ensure that the matter was brought to the attention of the relevant authorities in the security and enforcement environment for urgent coordination of investigations and interventions, including the following:
i. The relevant officials arranged meetings with Intercape’s management, the SAPS’ Crime Intelligence, Public Order Policing, and Detectives branches together with the National Prosecuting Authority and the City of Cape Town’s enforcement units (Traffic and Metro Police) where members of Intercape’s management team had the opportunity to brief authorities on the threats and actions of the criminals. In person.
ii. Intercape’s CEO and security manager were provided with the number for the ‘Extortion Hotline’. This number is monitored on a 24-hour basis at the SAPS’ Provincial Operational Command Centre (POCC), from where the local police station and recently established extortion response team will be deployed for rapid response.
iii. The relevant officials coordinated with traffic and enforcement authorities to monitor ranks and key routes with the aim of ensuring that buses have safe passage and that illegal operators are prevented from interfering with legally operating buses and minibuses on the identified long-distance routes. The illegally operating vehicles are to be impounded.
iv. The relevant officials briefed the Provincial Commissioner, Director for Public Prosecution [DPP], the State Security Agency (SSA amongst other authorities, at a meeting of the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (ProvJoints) on Thursday 12 May 2022. A request was tabled that an Organised Crime Threat Assessment [OCTA] be initiated and that the matter be further escalated to the NatJoints, because of the nature and extent of the crimes.
[b] Our first priority will always be to ensure the safety of commuters. We therefore requested that the City of Cape Town and the Passenger Rail Agency of SA [PRASA] assess their physical security measures and CCTV infrastructure to ensure that rank facilities on their respective sites are constantly monitored and that CCTV footage is of a sufficiently high quality for evidentiary purposes.
Provincial Traffic will monitor long distance bus operations and, with the support of the SAPS, be on the lookout for any ‘patrol vehicles’ that illegally stop and extort buses and other private vehicles along key routes between the Western Cape and neighbouring provinces.
On Friday 13 May 2022, I arranged a meeting between the CEO of Intercape, supported by members of his management team and legal advisors, the Premier, Minister Allen, the DG and senior officials from our various departments where it was agreed that the Premier and I would escalate the unfolding threat to the President and relevant security cluster ministers.
Following this meeting an appropriate letter was drafted to the President to request an urgent meeting and coordinated intervention at national level to combat extortion and racketeering in the public transport sector.
The Western Cape Government will not condone criminal acts of extortion, will not negotiate with- nor try to appease criminals, and will not allow the rule of law to be compromised.
