Taxi commuters stranded as protest continues

Commuters using the KwaNdengezi taxi rank in Pinetown may be left stranded as the tense standoff between taxi drivers and Durban police continues.

A police water cannon was brought in to help quell the hundreds of disgruntled taxi drivers at the corner of Old Main Road and Anderson Road this afternoon.

It was previously reported that one of the drivers had died due to his injuries. These reports were false. The two men, a taxi driver and a conductor, were injured in the shootout between the SAPS and the taxi drivers.

A standoff between the police and the taxi operators began early this morning and, once the water cannon was brought in, tempers and emotions petered out.

It was reported, on social media websites, that gas pellets were also used to help disperse the crowd.

Jabulani Mazibuko, PRO for KZN Top 6 Taxi Association, pleaded with the group of taxi drivers to take the passengers gathered at the rank back to their homes.

His pleas were met with a raucous outcry from the protesters. The drivers refused to go back to work until the Metro police had left the area.

“The drivers are complaining that the Metro police want certificates and rank permits which are hard to obtain from the Department of Transport offices in Pietermaritzburg,” said Mazibuko.

“We understand that they are also under pressure as they have to write at least 30 tickets per day, but they shouldn’t target us.”

Although the taxi drivers are still at the scene, they are no longer blockading the road and are allowing traffic through the intersection.

Taxi routes affected include those going to Mariannhill, Klaarwater, Tshelimnyama, Shongweni, Cliffdale, KwaNdengezi, Nqetho, Ngcolosi, Molweni, Wyebank, Desai, Nagina and Dassenhoek.