“We are a caring taxi association and your pain is our pain”.

These were the words of the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Association (CODETA) chairman, Nceba Enge, when the taxi operator donated R10 000 to each of families who lost their loved ones while travelling to the Eastern Cape.

The association invited the family members of the deceased to their offices in Site C on Friday January 31.

Last year, two Codeta taxis were involved in different catastrophic accidents and a total of 21 travellers lost their lives. As part of their policy, Mr Enge said they gave each family R10 000 to offer support during their bereavement.

He said the taxis had not been not at fault in either of the accidents as one had been hit by a Ford Ranger after the vehicle had stopped in Dutywa and the other had been hit by Madza as the car changed lanes.

However, he said their policy was that if a commuter lost their lives in any of their vehicles, whether Codeta was at fault or not, they would support the family financially, in the spirit of Ubuntu.

He said their intention was not to try and heal wounds but to show these families that they care about their commuters.

“We are aware that this money will never bring back your loved ones but we want to show families that we care and love the people that we transport. We are in the business of providing quality and safe transport and we must always show up for our commuters."

He added this the high number of passenger losses was unprecedented for Codeta.

“We have never lost such a high number of people in our taxis and this is the first time that we experienced such a terrible situation. We don’t want hatred against taxis because they lost their loved ones in our vehicled. We pray that this is the last time that we lose people in our taxies especially when they are heading home,” he said.

Widow Nosabelo Bebeza, whose lost her husband, said she felt not well at all emotionally and physically. The mother of four said she became very sick at her husband’s funeral had to be rushed to hospital.

The 49-year-old said she last spoke to her husband in the early morning hours of December 20, 2024. He said that he would arrive in his home town of Mount Fletcher that evening.

She said the taxi, which as on its way to Dutywa, in the Eastern Cape and was full of people from the area. She said her husband died with eight of his siblings.