Cape Town taxi associations say their taxis will resume operations on Friday morning.
CODETA and CATA suspended services on Thursday and marched to the Premier’s office, to hand over a memorandum of grievances.
They were demanding an end to what they call unfair requirements for releasing their impounded vans.
One of their complaints is that taxis travelling to other destinations on the suspended Bellville-Mbekweni route are being impounded, even though they’re not picking up passengers on that route.
CODETA secretary, Nceba Enge, says commuters shouldn’t worry as taxis will be operating normally again.
“We embarked on the strike [on Thursday] and we decided that our vans should not be operating. But [Friday] morning business will be back to normal.” – Nceba Enge, Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA)
The associations have distanced themselves from the torching of buses and commercial trucks.
Three Golden Arrows buses were set alight in Kraaifontein, Nyanga and Mitchell’s Plain.
While three trucks were targeted in Bloekombos.
CATA’s secretary, Mandla Hermanus says their protest action was peaceful.
“As the buses were burning, buses were still operating around Nyanga – picking up people, not being disrupted by us. In fact, when we got there… the burning of buses came to an end, because we could intervene to ensure that buses could move freely. We wanted this to be a peaceful march.” – Mandla Hermanus, Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA)
Head of Corporate Service Centre in the Department of Premier, Andre Joemat, signing the memorandum handed over by taxi associations, CATA and CODETA’s secretaries.
(Left: Andre Joemat, Mandla Hermanus and Nceba Enge) PHOTO: Arthur Pose
