A SPECIAL task team has been appointed to investigate the Empangeni taxi violence that killed 11 people in northern KwaZulu-Natal last week. Provincial Transport MEC, S’bu Ndebele, appointed the task team, that will be headed by chairman of the Cross Border Transport Agency, George Negota. The investigation will be assessed and monitored on a daily basis. Empangeni mayor, Denny Moffat, warned on Thursday that the council would shut down the taxi industry unless taxi associations resolved differences peacefully in future. “Our paramount responsibility is for the safety of our residents,” he explained. “The current situation is already bad for business in the town and the worst thing that could happen is another flare-up. The taxi drivers have to realise this.” The route between Empangeni and Esikhawini is still officially closed to taxis.