We would have died to save them, say taxi drivers who defended fun fair

With heavily armed gangs of marauding looters swarming across Vosloorus on Gauteng’s East Rand, destroying shopping malls and vandalising whatever they could not steal, a group of taxi drivers refused point blank to allow the protesters to destroy one thing – the travelling fun park set up in the community.

Armed with firearms, drivers and owners from the Katlehong Peoples Taxi Association spent four days and nights protecting the terrified staff of Tommy’s World Fair.

Shortly before President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the revival of lockdown level 4, the traveling fun fair, which has been in business for 60 years, had set up operations at the Chris Hani Crossing Mall.