By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) says the stayaway remains in place after the urgent talks to resolve the impasse were suspended on Sunday.
Santaco provincial chair Mandla Hermanus said traffic officers are impounding taxis ‘even in the case of the offence being committed by a driver. For instance, vehicles get impounded if a driver or commuter is found not wearing a safety belt.’
The organisation called the strike on Thursday in protest against the City of Cape Town’s traffic by-laws under which taxis were impounded and it expected to continue until Wednesday, 09 August 2023.
“It is with great disappointment that we must announce that the talks between the government and the Santaco leadership, which took place in an attempt to resolve the cause for the taxi stayaway, was suspended,” said Hermanus.
“However, we are open to talks with the government to find a speedy resolution to this issue and we call on all our operators not to interfere with other modes of transport and not take part in any criminal activities.
“We will continue our engagements with Santaco – and we are committed to improving the transport system, so that people can get to work safely,” Western Cape Mobility MEC, Ricardo McKenzie said.
A City depot in Delft has been petrol-bombed, at least seven cars damaged and three others torched in what is believed to be a spate of attacks linked to the ongoing taxi stayaway.
The City of Cape Town said all the incidents took place in the past 24 hours.
Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith said on Sunday that the City depot in Delft was petrol-bombed and at least seven vehicles belonging to different departments, including law enforcement vehicles, were damaged or completely destroyed.
Three vehicles were also torched in Makhaza, Khayelitsha.
Smith said that City Traffic Officers also responded to reports of public violence in Atlantis on Saturday.
“On arrival, a taxi, seeing the enforcement vehicle, made a U-turn, and sped off. The officers gave chase, assisted by Saps, and when the taxi was brought to a stop, officers found the vehicle loaded with tyres and arson implements.”
Smith said six suspects were arrested on various charges.
The City confirmed that it had registered at least 110 criminal cases for incidents relating to the strike.
On Saturday, the Santaco condemned acts of violence, public disturbances, and intimidation. It further distanced itself distance from opportunistic criminal elements that endangered the lives of commuters and citizens of the province.
Meanwhile the Western Cape High Court on Sunday granted an interim order against Santaco to stop violent attacks against Golden Arrow Bus Services.
In an urgent application, Judge Patrick Gamble ordered that Santaco and its members make sure GABS and its passengers are not intimidated, threatened or harassed.
Bronwen Dyke-Beyer, spokesperson for Golden Arrows bus said details of the interdict would be released at a later stage, but the interdict was granted against the destruction of property and services while the taxi strike was expected to continue on Monday as the minibus taxi industry and the City of Cape Town have yet to reach an agreement.
The order came into effect immediately after the brief proceedings which began at 12.30.
Speaking outside court, Adv. Morne Basson, SANTACO legal representative, on the order granted today at the Western Cape High Court, said the taxi industry body distances itself from the violence since the taxi strike announcement.
Basson said they had brought an application challenging the constitutionality of the by-laws of the City of Cape Town which is set down for February.
He added that, he hoped that the matters would be resolved by August 23, 2023, when the matter returned to court for a final interdict.