A long-distance bus operator and trade unions have called on the government to urgently take action to stop violent attacks aimed at the industry.
The calls come amid a surge in attacks on Intercape buses and the shooting of a driver in Cape Town.
Intercape said Bangikhaya Machana, 35, was shot on Monday leaving the Intercape depot in Airport Industrial to pick up passengers.
“A total of 21 rounds were fired and he was struck three times. He was rushed to hospital where he died on Thursday,” the company said, adding that in a previous similar incident outside the depot another bus driver was shot but survived.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the shooting and said the victim was driving a bus when he came under attack. The perpetrators fled the scene and there had been no arrests.
Intercape said Monday’s incident was the third to take place in the metro recently.
The company said there were also instances of intimidation at Cape Town station where coaches were allegedly held up for up to three hours by taxi operators to prevent passengers from boarding them.
Over the past 13 months, more violent incidents were recorded countrywide in the long-distance bus industry, which led to employees and passengers being seriously injured.
Intercape chief executive Johann Ferreira said the violent campaign on its buses and the long-distance coach industry was waged by “rogue” taxi associations that were intent on forcing the long-distance coach companies out of businesses in certain regions and on certain routes.
“We could no longer keep quiet about the extortion and violence directed at Intercape and the long-distance coach industry and we made a public appeal to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government. But this has since resulted in an escalation of attacks against Intercape coaches over these last two days,” said Ferreira.
He added: “How are we expected to operate as a licensed business when there are criminal elements who openly target us? This is anarchy, plain and simple, and unless this is stopped and dealt with decisively our country is on a path to self-destruction.”
The company said it had enough evidence to support the allegations that elements within the taxi industry were behind the attacks.
Intercape said in a statement: “We are also aware of meetings involving the local minibus taxi industry where the term cleansing has been used to describe this campaign of terror directed at long-liner bus companies.“
The South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) said it would seek an urgent meeting with Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula to “avert further catastrophe” in the industry.
Intercape went public about the attacks, allegedly by “rogue” taxi associations a few days ago.
The company said shortly after that decision, three of its buses came under attack in Gauteng, leaving two people injured.
Shots were either fired at the moving buses from passing vehicles or by an unidentified gunman from a bridge.
The company said even though the attacks were mainly centred on key towns and routes in the Eastern Cape, there had been incidents in the Cape Town metro and Gauteng.
Intercape said: “In some instances, taxi operators in the Eastern Cape have forced passengers off coaches or warned them against boarding. Some routes in the Eastern Cape have become complete no-go zones for buses as taxi associations seek to drive competition out of the region.”
Ferreira said although cases had been opened with various police stations across the country, there had not been a single arrest.
“These gunmen and the murderers of our employee in Cape Town are out there walking freely and brazenly and think nothing of shooting at innocent people,” Ferreira said.
He said the attacks were “business capture” or “industry cleansing” and he called for support from the broader business sector, the labour movement, as well as civil society.
“Today it is the long-distance coach, the mining and construction industries, tomorrow it will be other sectors of the economy which simply cannot afford to shed any more jobs and which need to create the right climate for investment in order to stimulate and grow our economy.”
The Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union said bus and truck drivers were increasingly becoming targets of attacks.
Spokesperson Vusi Ntshangase called on the government and the companies to put in place some measures to curb the attacks and potential loss of life.
Ntshangase said: “If no action is taken these attacks could get out of control. They appear to be coordinated. We are aware that it would not be possible to implement police escorts for each bus but they need to increase visibility on the roads.”
Satawu general secretary Jack Mazibuko called on police to use security intelligence to deal with the matter.
“We are extremely concerned about these attacks, some of which are alleged to involve taxi operators.”
Intercape said it was taking measures to ensure the safety of employees and customers and was engaging with the police.
Minibus taxi association Codeta denied that it was involved in such attacks.
Spokesperson Andile Khanyi said: “We are not aware of anything that happens outside of our taxi industry. We are not involved in it.”