Cape Town – Long-distance bus operator Intercape has set out to sue Police Minister Bheki Cele for alleged failure to stop the spate of attacks on its coaches.
Intercape said that since 2020, it has reported 167 complaints to police, predominantly in the Eastern Cape.
They said at least three people have been shot and wounded and two severely assaulted since the beginning of March.
“Coaches have been shot at and stoned, while drivers and passengers have been intimidated by taxi operators in towns across the province in what Intercape alleges amounts to ‘a campaign of organised crime’ that is ‘part of a pattern of racketeering activity’.
“At least three people have been shot and wounded and two severely assaulted since the beginning of March,” Intercape said.
Intercape chief executive Johann Ferreira said: “The fish rots from the head and we have a police service that has done absolutely nothing to uphold public safety and ensure the arrest of perpetrators.
“We hold Minister Cele responsible for every failure of the police under his watch and we will not stop until there is full accountability to the travelling public in South Africa.”
The company’s lawyers handed over a 112-page affidavit to the Makhanda High Court on March 31.
It read: “The ‘no-go zones’ are in the Eastern Cape towns of Butterworth, Ngcobo, Tsomo, Dutywa and Cofimvaba. The company charges that the attacks form part of a ‘pattern of racketeering activity’ as defined in the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998.”
This article will be updated with Police Minister Cele’s response once received.
Cape Times