By Johnathan Paoli
Maponya Mall in Soweto has resumed normal operations just two days after a fatal shooting outside its premises that claimed the life of an e-hailing driver, which sparked community outrage and renewed calls for urgent action against transport-related violence.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed on Friday that all roads were open and “police officials will continue to monitor the situation, which remains calm”.
“The roads are currently open for traffic following a closure yesterday, and the mall is operating. Police officials will continue to monitor the situation.”
The incident, believed to be linked to long-standing tensions between taxi operators and e-hailing drivers, also left another driver and a passerby injured, while two vehicles were torched.
The murder prompted a shutdown of the mall on Thursday as protesting residents demanded a seven-day closure both as a mourning period and as a push for stronger safety measures.
Traffic around the centre has returned to normal and stores have reopened. A heavy law enforcement presence comprising SAPS officers, metro police and private security remains stationed at the mall’s entrances.
Gauteng roads and transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela convened an urgent meeting with local taxi associations, e-hailing service operators, law enforcement officials and other stakeholders.
She condemned the attack as “senseless, unacceptable and a direct threat to the safety and stability of our public transport system”.
The meeting produced several resolutions including that all public transport operators be allowed to operate inside the mall without discrimination, and the prioritisation of the investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Additionally, the mall will remain operational to safeguard jobs and economic activity, the department will establish a temporary on-site office to assist operators with licensing issues, and no operator or passenger should be subjected to intimidation or fear.
The department said there would be a follow-up meeting with industry leaders to address broader sector challenges.
Diale-Tlabela emphasised that disputes must be resolved through official platforms, such as the Public Transport Crisis Committee, which now included all modes of public transport and relevant government bodies.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance’s Gauteng roads and logistics spokesperson, Nicole van Dyk, accused both the provincial and national governments of failing to prevent ongoing bloodshed, pointing to at least 60 transport-related killings since April.
She called for the immediate publication of long-delayed e-hailing regulations under the National Land Transport Amendment Act, warning that “more innocent lives will be lost” if the turf war continued unchecked.
The South African National Taxi Council echoed calls for swift regulatory reform, arguing that the lack of clear rules fueled tensions by allowing unlicensed operators to flourish.
Gauteng community safety portfolio chairperson Bandile Masuku urged for the coexistence between the taxi and e-hailing sectors, insisting that the public must have the freedom to choose their preferred service without fear.
The MEC stressed that a prolonged mall closure would have severe economic consequences, affecting retailers, service providers and thousands of employees who relied on daily wages.
She also noted that the mall provided access to critical services, including the South African Social Security Agency, which served vulnerable community members.
While Maponya Mall is once again trading, the broader issues fueling the tensions remain unresolved.
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