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Intercape bus company said it would be suing the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, for his alleged complete and utter failure of the police to stop the spate of attacks against the long-distance operator.
In a statement on Wednesday, the company said Minister Cele was listed as the first respondent while the National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola is the second respondent.
CEO, Johann Ferreira said they have also named the Provincial Police Commissioners of the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng, and Kwazulu Natal as well as the Head of the Hawks.
Ferreira said Intercape has been forced to take this route following what he said was the startling inaction from the Minister of Transport and the MEC for Transport and Community Safety of the Eastern Cape" in responding to the crisis.
He said the attacks against Intercape, particularly in the Eastern Cape, continued despite several court orders compelling authorities to work with the police to ensure the safety of passengers and Intercape employees.
Ferreira said under the failed leadership of Minister Cele, and President Cyril Ramaphosa who appointed him, parts of South Africa have been turned into a mafia state where taxi operators rule with impunity.
“We hold Minister Cele responsible for every failure of the police under his watch and we will not stop until there is full accountability to the travelling public in South Africa,” he said.
Ferreira said since 2020, Intercape opened “a staggering” 167 cases and rising with police, with incidents mostly in the Eastern Cape.
He said the "no-go" areas in the Eastern Cape are the towns of Butterworth, Ngcobo, Tsomo, Dutywa, and Cofinvaba.
