Due to local residents’ actions using bricks to barricade the roads around the shopping centre, Maponya Mall in Soweto had to close its doors on Thursday.- On Thursday, Maponya Mall in Soweto was shut down as residents protested by obstructing roads, following incidents that resulted in the death of one e-hailing driver and injuries to two others.
- Local residents voiced their concerns over the rising violence between e-hailing drivers and taxi services, which has worsened in recent months.
- Law enforcement arrived at the location.
On Thursday, Maponya Mall in Soweto was forced to shut down as frustrated residents blocked the roads surrounding the shopping centre due to their growing fear of violence.
The tension between e-hailing drivers and traditional taxi operators has intensified over the past few months, causing anxiety among residents near the mall.
On Wednesday, a violent attack on e-hailing drivers resulted in one fatality and two injuries.
“We heard two shots first. It’s become so common that we didn’t even react immediately,” said one resident as she reflected on the violence that transpired outside her home.
“Then, my son peeked through the window and told me that cars were being set on fire. Later, we saw a woman who had been shot in the cheek stumble near our gate.”
The gunfire and the scene of the injured left the family traumatized.
“That was the final straw for all of us. We phoned for help, but we were so shocked. We feel that if we can’t use the mall for good purposes, let it not function,” she shared.
Protest scenes outside the Maponya Mall in Soweto, where residents are demonstrating following the shooting and killing of an e-hailing driver.
Protest scenes outside the Maponya Mall in Soweto, where residents are demonstrating following the shooting and killing of an e-hailing driver.
Protest scenes outside the Maponya Mall in Soweto, where residents are demonstrating following the shooting and killing of an e-hailing driver.
At around 11:00 on Thursday, police arrived at the blocked roads to engage with the protest leaders.
According to News24, representatives from the mall are also on their way to the site.
Residents conveyed to News24 their frustrations regarding insufficient communication from mall management concerning safety and the presence of taxis and e-hailing drivers in the area.
Protest scenes outside the Maponya Mall in Soweto, where residents are demonstrating following the shooting and killing of an e-hailing driver.
Protest scenes outside the Maponya Mall in Soweto, where residents are demonstrating following the shooting and killing of an e-hailing driver.
Protest scenes outside the Maponya Mall in Soweto, where residents are demonstrating following the shooting and killing of an e-hailing driver.
Comments from mall representatives will be included once they are received.
Lesiba Mpya, the spokesperson for the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, called the violence and resultant tension “unfortunate and barbaric.”
“This is a reaction from the community. They want to protest against what has happened. They don’t want activity in the mall today,” Mpya stated.
