Illustrative image: Interior of an Intercape bus in Cape Town, South Africa. | Intercape Sleepliner Bus. | Cape Town taxi boss Bonke Makalala, 19 December 2023.
Instead of latching on to the evidence provided by Intercape — including on Makalala’s role — both the SAPS and NPA have opted to appeal the ruling. on separate charges of impersonating a police officer, murder, two attempted murders and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Ferreira states under oath that “at this meeting, the representatives of the long-distance bus operators were brazenly informed by the taxi representatives that the only way to resolve the issues between the parties was for the long-distance bus operators to agree to certain terms and conditions … meeting was led by a man named Bonke Makalala, who is affiliated with Cata”.
Makalala also joined this meeting at Menlyn Main, Pretoria, where Ferreira alleges he was told that if Intercape paid an undisclosed sum of money, the restrictions placed on them by taxi associations would be lifted. Later, at another meeting where Makalala was not present, a figure of R5-million was mentioned, claims Ferreira.Intercape refused to buckle, but owing to the violence was forced to stop operating in the towns designated “no-go zones” by the taxi bosses.
“These attacks also make it clear that Makalala Trans’s strategy of violence will not only be implemented to establish itself in the market but will be used to squash any opposition and remove any competition,” Ferreira said. “I suspect that this is the same account that would be used by taxi representatives to receive any payment of extortion money from bus operators,” Ferreira observed.
Police said his arrest in Pretoria on 9 December 2023 came as the result of a joint operation between the Western Cape provincial detectives, Pretoria National Intervention Unit, Eastern Cape and Head Office Crime Intelligence.
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