Members of the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) gathered at Kuwait Taxi Rank in Site C on Thursday 10 September for a special prayer service for unity and peace, in which taxi drivers appealed for God’s protection.
Assistant secretary in the Codeta regional office Mziwamatolo Nombila described the service as part of a campaign to foster peace and harmony in the industry. He said one way of ensuring as wide a consensus as possible on this need is to host a massive prayer service presided over by all Khayelitsha‘s church leaders.
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We want peace
“We are here to pray for safe trips and an end to the killings in the association. We also want to build trust with our commuters. In the last three months we lost about five taxi owners to taxi violence. We want to stop all the taxi violence. We want peace.”
Nombila said on Friday 4 September a peace deal was signed with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) to stop the violence between the two associations. Nombila said Codeta was using all means to keep stability in the industry.
Khayelitsha Methodist minister Rev Mnoneleli Dondolo urged taxi owners to be strong in their trust in God’s grace and providence in whatever they do. He emphasised that the taxi association is the only black-owned business in the province and needs to be supported.
Church urges owners to fight for their business
“We are appealing to the taxi owners, that when they are facing challenges they mustn’t give up. They must fight for their business.”
Prayer extends to the broader community
Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) chair Mawande Jara described the service as not being limited to the members of the association but reaching the community at large. He said many communities are vulnerable.
“We are here to pray for the association, but we are also praying for our children who are writing trial examinations and for all the bad things that are happening in our communities. We are looking for peace.”
He stated that the KDF supports anything that changes Khayelitsha for the better.
