Ulundi came together in grief on Saturday as hundreds of mourners gathered to honour the life of e-hailing driver Mthokozisi Mvelase, laid to rest in his hometown in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Family, friends, and industry leaders from both the e-hailing and taxi sectors stood side by side to pay their respects — a rare moment of unity born out of tragedy.
Mvelase’s siblings remembered him as gentle, joyful, and deeply devoted to his loved ones. “He truly lived up to his name, always bringing happiness wherever he went,” one family member said. “He didn’t deserve to leave us like this.”
Their grief was matched by frustration. Relatives voiced disappointment at the lack of progress in the investigation and called on authorities to act decisively. “We have seen no tangible action from the police,” said his uncle, Doctor Khuzwayo. “We’re asking the Gauteng Transport MEC to suspend taxi operations in Soweto until this case is resolved.”
Mvelase was shot and his car set alight outside Maponya Mall in Soweto on 13 August — only three days after he started working as an e-hailing driver. Taxi violence is suspected, but no arrests have been confirmed.
For the Ulundi community, Saturday’s service was not just a farewell but a plea for justice and an end to the bloodshed.