Cape Town - Long distance bus company Intercape has been left reeling after another attack on its buses in Cape Town.
Two Intercape bus drivers came under attack early on Wednesday night while driving from the company’s depot in Airport Industria to Cape Town Station to load passengers.
According to Intercape, the incidents occurred within moments of each other on the N2 highway near Nyanga, just before the Jakes Gerwel off-ramp.
Intercape spokesperson Lindiz van Zilla said that in the first incident, the driver was shot and wounded. He was travelling with his assistants at the time of the incident. While attempting to get away, he spotted a parked police vehicle and tried to get to it. He took the off-ramp, but was unable to keep the vehicle on the road.
“A short while later, a second Intercape coach was attacked in the same area. Fortunately, the driver escaped unharmed, but was forced to return to the company depot in Airport Industria.”
Gugulethu police have already begun investigating the first incident. Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the police had registered a triple murder for investigation, hoping to trace the suspects involved.
The attacks on the Intercape buses come less than a week after another bus was attacked by unknown gunmen outside the company’s depot on Sunday 31 July. The bus driver was shot and seriously injured in the incident.
“In April, 35-year-old Bangikhaya Machana died in hospital days after being shot and wounded outside the depot. Machana is one of many drivers in just over a year that have been violently attacked, in attacks against Intercape.
“A total of 124 criminal cases have been opened with police following incidents of shooting, stonings and intimidation levelled at Intercape employees and members of the public. To date, there has not been a single arrest,” Van Zilla said.
Despite consistent rebuttals by the taxi industry of its involvement in the attacks, Intercape maintains that rogue taxi associations are behind the violent campaign waged against it to force long-distance coach companies out of operating in certain regions and routes across the country.
Earlier this year, Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira penned a passionate letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government, asking for assistance to end the attacks on the long-distance bus service.
Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell has again condemned the brazen attacks on the industry, stating that the incidents happened on the eve of a meeting with the Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works.
Mitchell said the meeting was set to table the recent spate of extortion and attacks on buses, including Golden Arrow buses and coaches serving long-distance routes. Ferreira is also expected to be present at the meeting.