No charge to present evidence to the Commission of Inquiry into taxi violence

It has come to the attention of the Chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into Taxi Violence in the Gauteng
province, Justice Jeremiah Shongwe, that interested witnesses are of the view that before they appear before the
Commission, they would need to seek the service/s of a lawyer to assist in drafting statement/s to be presented before the Commission.

Office of the Secretary for the Commission would like to inform the public including interested witnesses that the
Commission has appointed a Legal team to assist in this regard at no costs.

According to the Commission’ Spokesperson, Mr Koena Moabelo, potential witnesses are encouraged to contact the Commission if they need assistance in drafting relevant legal documents required for the Commission.
The witnesses will always be afforded an opportunity to review the statement/s before such could be presented before the Commission.

“It is also important to note that the Commission is not a court of law and may receive any relevant evidence/
information relating to its terms of reference and such evidence/ information may otherwise not be admissible
in a court of law,” said Moabelo.

The Practice Directives and Rules 7.2 of the Commission provides that, any person who has knowledge of
the matters that fall within the Terms of Reference may deliver to the Secretary a statement or affidavit setting
out the information and the Secretary must hand that information over to the Commission’s Legal Team for
consideration.

“The Commission further wishes to state that necessary arrangements with relevant Security cluster have been made to ensure the security of the witnesses. Such details are discussed with the potential witnesses once interest to appear before the Commission has been confirmed”, Moabelo added.

Any person or section of the public, including community structures, members of relevant communities and of
the public, minibus taxi-type service associations, drivers, operators, conductors and rank marshals, who or
which is in possession of information which may be relevant to the matters to be inquired into by the
Commission and wishes to give evidence before the Commission is invited to contact the Secretary to
arrange the date and time when it may testify before the Commission.

The Commission was established to investigate:

(a) the underlying reasons for the recurring conflict, violence, fatalities and instability within the minibus
taxi- type service industry within the Gauteng Province;
(b) the activities of operators, legal and illegal, as well as any other group or person that contributes to
the recurring conflict, violence, fatalities and instability;
(c) the provision of minibus taxi transport services authorised by both interchange based and direct
route- based permits and licences;
(d) how the minibus taxi business model, including the formation and management of minibus
taxi associations contributes to the recurring conflict, violence, fatalities and instability; and
(e) any other matters that are ancillary or related to the matters set out in paragraphs (a) to (d).