SANTACO Pledges to Cover Funeral Costs for Slain E-Hailing Driver Siyanda Mvelase
SANTACO Pledges to Cover Funeral Costs for Slain E-Hailing Driver Siyanda Mvelase
Natalie Nyathi
In a gesture of support and remorse, the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has pledged to cover all funeral costs for Siyanda Mvelase, the 27-year-old e-hailing driver who was brutally murdered in Soweto last week. Mvelase was shot and his car set alight outside Maponya Mall, a tragic incident believed to be linked to ongoing tensions between taxi operators and e-hailing services.
SANTACO’s President, Abner Tsebe, expressed his condolences and condemned the violence, emphasizing that such criminal acts have no place in the transport industry. He stated that the organization would assist in transporting Mvelase’s remains from Gauteng to his home in KwaZulu-Natal for burial.
“As SANTACO, we are ready to take care of the body in partnership with Icebolethu Funeral Parlour,” Tsebe said. “I have sent my team to talk to the family, to ask for permission to transport the body from Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal, and to assist with the burial.” He also indicated that SANTACO would welcome additional support from sponsors for other needs, such as catering.
The Mvelase family, who were struggling to cope with the sudden and tragic loss, have expressed their gratitude for the support. Mvelase, who had only recently started working as an e-hailing driver to provide for his family, was described as a hardworking and ambitious young man.
In addition to assisting with funeral arrangements, SANTACO is planning to visit those injured in the Maponya Mall incident and organize a prayer event at the mall in September, with support from local religious leaders. Tsebe reiterated SANTACO’s zero-tolerance policy for violence and warned that any member found to be involved in criminal acts would be expelled from the council.
While SANTACO has condemned the violence and offered support to the Mvelase family, the organization has also stated that it cannot be held directly responsible for the actions of criminals who may operate within the taxi industry. However, SANTACO has committed to working with law enforcement and other stakeholders to address the root causes of violence and promote a more peaceful and professional transport sector.
The South African government has also condemned the killing, with the Department of Transport emphasizing that such criminal behavior has no place in the public transport sector. Gauteng Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has met with stakeholders and is working to find a lasting solution to the tensions between taxi operators and e-hailing services.
