![]() On 9 October the bus owner, Kishore Sathanlal, was shot dead in a hit at his Tongaat home. The police were asked to take urgent action against the criminal operators and ensure that buses could operate safely. The name of the association, and contact details of its chairperson, were provided. On 4 October, they were informed that taxi owners had jammed an Injabaliso bus in Sonkombo, preventing it from proceeding to other areas to load passengers for Tongaat. ![]() KZN Monitor letters were then sent to the Ndwedwe and iLembe District SAPS. When the taxi threats resurfaced, residents initially sought assistance from politicians and police but, when no notice was taken, they became scared for their safety. While the SAPS have indicated preparedness to assist, continuing pleas for intervention by the municipality, and the provincial Department of Transport, to assist with logistics, have fallen on deaf ears. Fearful residents are crying out for the return of the bus services as costs for transporting their goods have risen since they now need to rely on costlier taxis or their haulage services. Bus operations stopped, as drivers, who live in Ndwedwe, are understandably terrorized, as no arrests have been made. ![]() Despite pleas to government and police, and warnings of likely bloodshed, no action whatsoever was taken and, on 15 November, two bus drivers were shot dead in hits in the Sonkombo area. Around three months ago, taxi operators resumed attempts to disrupt the service, including by threats to drivers. Over the years, there have been sporadic threats, including the blocking of buses, by taxi operators, which have been dealt with through political intervention. The large peri-urban Ndwedwe area north of Durban has for years been serviced by Injabaliso Bus Service, offering passengers affordable transport, including for those who rely on it to bring their bulky goods from nearby towns of Verulam and Tongaat.
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