The Delft, Belhar and Parow Taxi Association (DBPTA) is investigating the complaint of a woman who was allegedly thrown out of a moving taxi by a sliding door operator in Belhar on Sunday.
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The operator allegedly pushed her out of the moving vehicle because she didn’t have money to pay for the taxi fare.
The woman sustained injuries to her head and body and was rushed to hospital.
DBPTA Chairperson Colin Booysen told IOL that they were looking into the matter, adding that the incident was very distressing.
‘We are trying to get assistance to the lady affected as soon as she is out of hospital,’ he said.
‘We have the version of the driver and we are waiting for her version. We have been in contact with the lady and we are dealing with the matter.’
‘There are some people who want to blow this out of proportion. But we are dealing with it and whoever is in the wrong will be dealt with,’ he said.
Booysen said that they had met the victim on Monday.
‘She had stitches on her head and was waiting for information on when she would be released.’
‘We have informed her that she can come to our office as soon as she is able to. Our hearts go out to her,’ he said.
The woman had taken a taxi from Ravensmead to Belhar but was moved from the first taxi to another that was going to Delft, according to the Belhar Community Police Forum (CPF).
‘But she already paid in the first taxi, so the second taxi that loaded her over didn’t pay the taxi so they demanded the money from her, that is when things became violent,’ they said.
Meanwhile, the executive director of Philisa Abafazi Bethu, Lucinda Evans, said the incident served as proof that gender-based violence was still rife in South Africa.
‘This behaviour is atrocious. This man had no regard for this woman’s life, he just threw her out of a moving taxi. He could have killed her. The question is, why did the driver not do anything and why did he not stop. It is not the gaatjie that must take responsibility, it’s the driver and the owner of the taxi association,’ she told IOL.
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