The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed the arrest of Siviwe Kiva, the president of the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA), who is expected to appear in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning.

According to NPA Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, the exact charge against Kiva has not yet been confirmed, but he is set to make his first court appearance in relation to the arrest.CATA spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi acknowledged the arrest when approached but declined to provide further details.The arrest comes against a backdrop of ongoing tensions within the Western Cape taxi industry.

Earlier in May, CATA and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA), the province’s two largest taxi organisations, held a peace agreement signing at Nyanga Terminus.This initiative followed a violent period in late 2025, during which several CATA members were killed in shootings linked to internal taxi conflicts.

Authorities, including the Western Cape government, have previously intervened in attempts to curb violence and intimidation in the sector, including court orders aimed at stabilising the industry.

In December 2025, Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku welcomed a Western Cape High Court ruling that made an interim interdict permanent, aimed at reducing taxi-related violence.The broader industry has also been under scrutiny, with ongoing legal disputes involving alleged extortion cases in other provinces.The Cape Argus also noted that SANTACO has been approached for comment on the latest developments.

Meanwhile, unrelated legal proceedings in Mpumalanga involving another taxi boss highlight continued nationwide attention on alleged criminal activity within sections of the taxi industry, including accusations of extortion and illegal “protection fees”.The arrest of the CATA president adds further pressure on efforts to stabilise relations between competing taxi associations in the Western Cape.