Cape Town - The provincial standing committee on transport and public works said it would be pushing for government departments to raise their concerns over the violent attacks on the transport industry to national government.
The resolution by the committee comes after the appearance of long-distance bus company Intercape at the weekend, where the bus company pleaded for urgent intervention by inter-government departments following three attacks on its coaches in Cape Town in a week.
Intercape CEO Johan Ferreira, speaking to the committee, pleaded with authorities to step in and protect the company and the long-distance coach industry from intimidation and violent attacks.
According to Ferreira, the stoning, intimidation, assault and attempted extortion which started in 2017 have since escalated and intensified, resulting in the loss of millions in revenue.
Ferreira said: “We are pleading with the government to institute proactive measures restore to the war waged against it and the transport industry.
“There have been attempts to intimidate and persuade us to be party to agreements around pricing structures and routes, which amounts to price-fixing. This is a serious criminal offence, and we refuse to participate in such acts.
“We are proposing a series of immediate steps which will assist in alleviating these issues, including the installation of security cameras on the bridge near the Intercape depot in Cape Town.
“The investigation of all incidents of violence and intimidation as crimes under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca),” Ferreira said.
Chairperson of the portfolio committee Ricardo Mackenzie said: “What we heard from Intercape and other role-players in the transport industry confirmed what we knew that there is a crisis in the industry.
“Our biggest fear is that things will escalate if there is no immediate intervention by the SAPS, and national government. Especially with regards to the prosecution of the previous cases, if people are not convicted for these crimes we believe they will keep happening.”
Mackenzie said following the meeting, the committee Monday and Tuesday will be meeting to discuss recommendations that can be implemented in response.
He said: “We will be writing to our colleagues in Parliament to table this discussion in Parliament because that’s the urgency it deserves. We need to treat this as we did our response to Covid-19 because it’s that serious. If left unchecked, these attacks could cripple our transport system.”
Also present at the meeting, ANC member of the portfolio committee Lulamba Mvimbi said a multidisciplinary approach led by a strong SAPS task force was the only way to tackle the issue of extortion in not only the transport sector but also in other areas.