Calm has returned to the Maponya Mall in Soweto following Thursday’s protest. Mini-bus taxis have started to pick up and drop off passengers at the mall’s main entrance again.
The gates leading to Maponya Mall have been reopened and people are freely walking in and out of the mall.
Both e-hailing cars and minibuses are entering and exiting the mall.
Earlier, a private security helicopter was seen hovering over the mall and the surrounding precinct.
Police continue to maintain a strong presence.
On Thursday, outraged residents blocked the main entrance. The action followed the brutal killing of e-hailing driver Mthokozisi Velase, as well as another driver and a passenger, torching of two e-hailing vehicles.
The violence is suspected to be related to competition between operators of minibus taxis and e-hailing vehicles. The residents alleged that the mall manager is conniving with traditional taxi drivers.
‘Senseless killing’
The E-hailing Partners Council says there’s been a rise in violent attacks on e-hailing drivers since the beginning of this month. The attack is the latest in an ongoing feud between drivers of taxi and e-hailing vehicles.
The council’s secretary Melithemba Mnguni says, “The incident that happened at Maponya Mall is not isolated. Just on Tuesday, we were having a meeting with the police, whereby in the last course of the week, there have been twelve killings, and most of those were e-hailing drivers. And the investigations show that these are executions. And there’s been a lot of incidents in Soweto where vehicles have been vandalized just within the space of three weeks.”
The e-haling company Bolt condemned the senseless killing of Mvelase and demands that action be taken by law enforcement.
The Gauteng Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela held a meeting with stakeholders on Thursday, urging residents to stop disrupting operations at the mall. However, some residents have vowed to continue to protest for the next seven days until mall management addresses them.
DEVELOPING | Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela says Maponya Mall will reopen from Friday. Some Soweto residents had demanded a seven-day closure following the killing of an e-hailing driver, sparking outrage. pic.twitter.com/nW0gJn61iz
— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 14, 2025
A night vigil was held in honour of Mvelase.
Maponya Mall e-hailing attack | Mall calm this morning following E-hailing attacks
