Four KwaZulu-Natal women, who have taken over their husbands’ taxi businesses, are living in fear because they refuse to stay quiet about millions of rands that were allegedly embezzled from the Klipriver Taxi Association’s funds.
Simmering tensions over the missing funds have allegedly spilled over into violence last year — after an audit confirmed that R3 million is missing. They say they are also discriminated against in their taxi association because they are women.
Shonganie Gamede took over her husband’s taxi business 10 years ago after he passed away. She and 3 other women, who became taxi owners under similar circumstances, are members of the Klipriver Taxi Association in Ladysmith.
Gamede claims there have been tensions within the association for years, amid allegations that money has gone missing. She alleges that a SANTACO audit of the association’s books at the beginning of last year confirmed that R3 million is missing.
Since the end of last year, there have been several attacks, claiming the lives of members of the association. Fellow taxi owner Zodwa Mvelase says they have received numerous death threats because they refuse to keep quiet.
“We are at high risk. I do have bodyguards that I am paying out of my own pocket. We want the government to protect us until the situation gets better. Recently a whole family was killed. That can also happen to me because I also travel with my family. My whole family is living in fear, even my children.”
Gamede says they did succeed in opening a fraud case, after receiving help from high-ranking police officers at the provincial head office. To make matters worse, these women say men in the taxi association have told them in so many words that they must keep quiet in meetings because it’s a male-dominated industry.
Taxi owner Mathande Mbatha claims they have even been told to sleep with one of the men in the taxi association if they want to raise a matter.
“The men in the Klipriver Association are afraid to speak out because if you speak out you get killed. If you are a woman you have to sleep with men in that association for you to get help.”
KwaZulu-Natal SANTACO chairperson Boy Zondi says the troubles within the Klipriver Taxi Association are a sensitive matter that they are trying to deal with internally. He did not want to comment further.
