Africa-Press – South-Africa. A bus driver was wounded in a shooting on the N2 in Cape Town over the weekend during ongoing violence targeted at the long-haul coach industry.
The driver was injured when a gunman opened fire on the Intercape bus on Saturday while he was on his way to load passengers at the long-distance bus terminus in the CBD. Two other people who were on the bus at the time were not injured.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said the incident took place at around 17:00, close to Borcherds Quarry Road.
“He managed to drive the bus to Cape Town, where he was treated for his injury. The circumstances surrounding the attempted murder are under investigation and arrests are yet to be made,” Traut said.
The Western Cape government condemned the attack and said it had taken steps to ensure that the matter would be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities.
In August, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa to request an urgent meeting and coordinated intervention at a national level to combat extortion and racketeering in the public transport sector. The matter has since been referred to the minister in the security cluster. Winde said he was waiting for action to be taken.
“These cowardly acts of violence must be met with decisive action. Apart from a thorough police investigation, as the Western Cape government, we will continue to exert pressure on national government, specifically the president and his transport minister, to prioritise addressing the violence that continues to mar the long-distance bus industry,” Winde said.
Winde added:
He added that the thousands of people who have plans to travel by bus over the festive season deserve safe transport.
“I will be meeting with Intercape management this week. We will offer them support wherever we can.”
Western Cape Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell said the attacks were a form of organised crime. He added that traffic officials would be clamping down on any vehicles operating without the correct licences.
“I have reiterated my instruction to provincial traffic [officials] to 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. 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,” he said.
Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen added that the attacks were “a clear attempt to destabilise the long-distance bus industry”.
Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira confirmed the attack on one of its coaches near to Airport Industria in Cape Town on Saturday.
Ferreira said Intercape would not comment further.
News24 previously reported that the company had experienced more than 80 attacks this year.
Around 50 attacks were recorded last year.
One of those attacks proved to be fatal, when 35-year-old Intercape driver Bangikhaya Machana was shot in April. He died in hospital three days later. One man has since been arrested.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
