Taxi association denies it prevented more than 1 800 Cape Town pupils from going to school

The Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) has denied that it reneged on its promise not to intimidate, threaten or prevent pupils from being transported in the Western Cape.

This comes after Western Cape Education Department (WCED) MEC David Maynier said taxi associations continued their “illegal blockade” on Monday.

Missed school

“As a result [of Monday’s blockade], 1 800 children who would ordinarily travel on our contracted transport missed school today.

“Principals reported that some busses in Mfuleni were stopped and prevented from transporting pupils, leaving children – some of them in primary school – stranded in the rain. What the minibus taxi mafia is doing is a crime, and cannot be justified,” Maynier said.

No blockade

However, Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi said this is not true.

“There was no blockade. We heard there was a blockade in Emfuleni that took place yesterday. But we have called the working committee and asked what’s going on. They said there was nothing because the drivers were there and driving. So, I do not really know where this information from the MEC comes from.”

Khanyi said Codeta is also meeting with Maynier and the premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde.

“We just want to know where does this statement (Blockade) comes from. Because really we have signed a pledge that we are not going to disrupt any operations, especially from the schools. Emfuleni also belongs to Codeta, they do what we tell them and they cannot block the busses because we have a court case on Friday.”

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Decisive action

Earlier, Maynier said they had taken “decisive action against those who are preventing children from attending school to serve their own commercial interests”.

“I have laid a criminal complaint of common assault, intimidation, and extortion, with the South African Police Service (SAPS) against the minibus taxi associations currently preventing our children from getting to school.”

Maynier approached the Western Cape High Court on Friday, 17 February, to obtain an urgent interdict against Codeta.

He asked the court to prevent the taxi association and its members from issuing threats to the WCED Learner Transport Scheme (LTS) drivers, pupils, and members of the public.

Disappointing

Speaking to The Citizen, Maynier said the decision by Codeta to continue with the blockade is disappointing.

“It is indeed disappointing that, despite the undertaking by Codeta before the court last Friday, pupils transport was again disrupted yesterday, 20 February. The legal proceedings are ongoing, and will continue with a hearing on our application on Friday, 24 February.”

“The investigation by Saps following the criminal complaint I laid last Thursday is also ongoing, and each new incident of intimidation and harassment will be relayed to Saps,” Maynier said.

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