As traffic is expected to pick up due to the closure of schools for holidays and the festive season, long-distance bus company Intercape has bemoaned the persisting attacks on its coaches.
According to the bus company, since September last year a further 40 incidents had been reported in the Eastern Cape and eight elsewhere nationally.
Now police have been summoned to the Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda on Thursday over a contempt of a court application.
The authorities are accused of failing to implement Judge John Smith’s order to prevent violence and intimidation against the long-distance coaches.
Judge Smith declared that the police and transport government authorities failed in their constitutional obligations and ordered that they develop a comprehensive action plan to ensure reasonable and effective measures were put in place to provide for the safety and security of Intercape bus drivers and passengers in the Eastern Cape and to report to the court on the plan.
In August, Judge Smith had ordered the government to go back to the drawing board due to the “vagueness of the action plan that sent the wrong message to perpetrators of violent crimes against the operator.”
Pending the development of the revised action plan, Judge Smith said a visible law enforcement presence should be maintained at every loading point in hot spot towns and areas.
These included Cofimvaba, Butterworth, Engcobo, Tsomo, and Idutywa.
“Law enforcement escorts are provided to (Intercape) buses along the hot spot routes, and any other routes, as and when requested by the applicant on account of a legitimate concern over a risk of intimidation or violence,” he said.
Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira said when police failed to do what they were legally obliged to do and as the Constitution demanded, they were forced to take legal action. In separate legal action, the bus company has brought an application to have the ongoing acts of violence and intimidation against coach passengers recognised, investigated and prosecuted as acts of organised crime.
National police did not respond to questions by deadline on Tuesday.
Cape Times