Calm in Tembisa after taxi drivers force passengers out of cars

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) said it has restored calm in Tembisa after taxi organisations allegedly harassed motorists.

It’s understood taxi associations in Tembisa allegedly conducted an illegal blockade and removed people from their cars in order to force them to use minibus taxis.

Passengers forced out of cars

Motorists have expressed their frustrations as they headed to work on Friday.

EMPD Spokesperson Zweli Dlamini told 702 they have received a number of complaints.

“We immediately dispatched the EMPD task team [in the] northern region to go and assess the situation. Indeed it was happening, where if there was more than one passenger in the car, that vehicle was stopped and people were being forced off the vehicle.

“The situation has since been put under control and the metro police are on site just to monitor what is happening, but for now the matter has been resolved,” Dlamini said.

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Actions condemned

Dlamini said the taxi associations’ actions must be condemned.

“The country has got laws, so you cannot have an institution that is above the laws of the country. So, it does call on law enforcement to tighten its grip on the situation and make sure that the laws of the country are respected.

“It is disruptive to us as the public and generally it can be disruptive to the economy of the country. So, we cannot really have a situation like this and we hope that law enforcement agencies can come together to find a solution,” Dlamini said.

Santaco warning

Last month, the  South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) warned motorists to avoid picking up hitchhikers on taxi routes.

This followed a recent confrontation in Mpumalanga where taxi association patrollers allegedly drove off with a motorist’s car, demanding R2 500 to release it, after he offered to give his neighbour a lift.

Santaco says unlike motorists, taxi associations have permits that authorise them to transport passengers along certain routes.

Additional reporting by Oratile Mashilo

ALSO READ: ‘Picking up people is our business’: Santaco doesn’t want you to give hitchhikers a lift