National Taxi Alliance spokesperson Theo Malele said the government’s failure to issue operating licences has left them vulnerable to constant harassment by law enforcement officials, resulting in taxis being impounded and commuters being inconvenienced.
Without being issued operating licences, taxis operations are rendered illegal on the roads.
Malele added that despite the government and Sanral’s claims that taxi operators with a valid operating licence would be exempt from e-tolling, the majority have yet to receive their licences.
“We are receiving wads of notices for payment as well as threats of being handed over [to authorities] from Sanral,” he said.
The National Taxi Alliance is the mother body of several taxi associations throughout the country and affiliated associations from other provinces are expected to participate in the protest.
The alliance and its affiliates will meet in Pretoria on 3 February, where they will march from Marabastad to the office of the Minister of Transport to hand over a memorandum, outlining their grievances, Malele said.
The South African National Taxi Council and its affiliates would not be involved in the protest.
Randburg United Local and Long Distance Taxi Association public relations officer, Alfred Mashishi, said the taxi council-affiliated association had heard about the protest but had not received any information regarding its participation.
Mashishi said Randburg United’s members would be operating as usual on 3 February.
