QACHA’S NEK – RESIDENTS in Qacha’s Nek last weekend took to the streets to protest against harassment by taxi operators.
The taxi operators sometimes harass private car owners who pick passengers travelling between Qacha’s Nek and Maseru.
The taxi owners argue that the private cars are taking business from them.
The residents marched from Matšela-Habeli to the District Administrator (DA) offices in Qacha’s Nek.
The petition was copied to the ministries of police, justice and transport.
The residents said the DA should intervene and take to task taxi owners who take the law into their own hands.
Sekonyela Zonkezele who read the letter on behalf of the residents, said their lives are in danger because of the harassment inflicted by the taxi owners in the area.
He said the taxi operators are doing all this because they believe the private car owners are destroying their business by picking up passengers when travelling between Maseru and Qacha’s Nek.
“They do not care whether your passenger is a family member or not,” Zonkezele said.
“They just want those people on board to pay bus fare to them” he said.
He said if a private car owner does not pay the money, they keep him or her waiting on the road until late.
Zonkezele said some police officers in the area were working in cahoots with the taxi operators to harass people.
He said the police officers would stage roadblocks where they harass private car owners.
During the roadblocks, some taxi operators would be throwing some questions demanding to know how the private car owner is related to the people on board.
Zonkezele said if the surnames are not the same, the private car owners are forced to leave the passengers or pay a fee right on the spot.
“Those taxi owners would take all the money and leave you there,” he said.
Kobeli Tsoako told thepost that he was beaten by the taxi operators for giving someone a lift. His video went viral on social media.
In another incident, a Makhaola High School teacher’s car was vandalised by the taxi operators.
The tyres of her car were cut and damaged.
Thooe Ramolibeli
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