Pinetown Protest: Mayor calls for Metro to withdraw
The taxi drivers are now operational in the Pinetown area after their demands were heard.
THE eThekwini mayor, James Nxumalo, rushed out of a council meeting in an attempt to pacify the violence that flared up again today between the taxi drivers and the Metro police.
More than 200 taxi operators made their way to Lahee Park to voice their concerns regarding the Metro police to the mayor, first hand.
A few representatives of the group of gathered men made their way forward and told the mayor that they no longer want the Metro police to hand out warrants, check permits or stop the taxis while they are carrying passengers. All of the taxi associations in the Highway area were present.
“We will stop working if our demands are not met and will stop transporting people. Durban is a small place, we can make it come to a halt,” said Mandla Ndlovu, chairman of Qina Mshayeli, a taxi driver organisation.
Nxumalo said the council received reports at 1pm yesterday that the violence had reached an all time high and called for a meeting between him and the taxi bosses and Metro police management.
“We were going to meet with them tomorrow but had to leave a council meeting to come and solve this,” said Nxumalo. “We needed to solve this as women and children were hit with teargas yesterday.”
He noted that all road block operations led by the Metro police in Pinetown will be suspended until the situation is ‘under control’.
“In the meantime, SAPS will patrol the streets around the Pinetown CBD while we speak to the Metro police to come to an agreement.
“This does not mean the Metro police will stop working in the Pinetown area, it needs to be understood that the situation is volatile.
“We will still engage leadership with the taxi industry and the Metro police will still do their job.
“Taxis need to stop where there is space provided, even though there are only a few of them, and they must obey the rules of the road. This will all be addressed in the budget for 2014/15,” said Nxumalo.
Taxis are operational and traffic is said to be flowing normally along Josiah Gumede (Old Main) Road.
So this means the taxis gets their way again…
Who cares if the taxis stop working?
Taxis are coffins on wheels.
And the Mayor’s actions just proved again that the taxis are above the law.
I wonder if all of us driving cars behaved like this, that we also wouldn’t have to pay our fines.
DO AWAY WITH THE TAXIS.
Moral of the story, be violent and you will get what you want. This is the way our New South Africa operates.
Well done to the Metro Saps for using teargas and water cannons. Teach those hooligans a lesson and it might stop. The Mayor shouldn’t have interfered…
Once more we witness Violence conquer all…..There is complete dis-regard for the law in this country now….the Mayor should not have intervened…let Metro & SAPS do the jobs they are paid to do…ie….maintain law and order!!!!!We are not only becoming prisoners in our own homes but now can’t go out for fear of getting caught in the cross-fire of lawless thugs!Enough is enough!!!!
And once again the Taxi’s seem to be above the law and can demand whatever they want without regard to the Government they, the people, elected as well as without thinking about the innocent people who end up being terrorized by their illegal behavior. Metro and SAPS should be allowed to ticket taxi drivers who are driving without the correct permits and licenses – just like they ticket the rest of South Africa. What makes them special? Nothing. What makes them think they are above the law? The fact that they are NEVER held accountable for their actions. Time to stop ticketing and putting them in jail for their illegal riots and damage to property. Come on Mayor Nxumalo, it’s time to stand up and be counted for all the right reasons. At the moment you are condoning and rewarding their irresponsible behavior instead of shutting them down and making them face the consequences of their actions. Next time Metro, call out the SANDF and treat them like the terrorists they are; maybe they will pay attention and stop their nonsense. Clearly water cannons and rubber bullets don’t work.
It’s clear that Metro Cops don’t know that they do not have to comply with an unlawful instruction. The Mayor is not vested with any powers i.t.o the Gathering Act, nor for that matter to tell police what to do or mot do when people are clearly braking the law or infringing on the rights of others.