27 taxis impounded in Nyanga licence crackdown

Twenty-seven vehicles were impounded in Nyanga on Friday morning for allegedly driving without operating licences or for being in contravention of their licences, the City of Cape Town said.

This during a period of volatility in Nyanga which saw several Golden Arrow buses stoned and drivers having to go to safer pick-up points.

“The City is maintaining a presence in the Nyanga area. However, all indications are that the situation has been resolved and that Golden Arrow buses are entering the area once more,” said the spokesperson for the City’s traffic services, Maxine Bezuidenhout.

Traffic services held an operation in the area on Thursday morning and impounded the 27 vehicles, which included minibuses and “amaphelas” – a derogatory term for operators who cruise the streets offering short local trips.

During the early morning commute, Golden Arrow said five buses were stoned and three drivers injured.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said a security company vehicle and private vehicle were also stoned, adding a case of public violence was opened and the police were monitoring the area.

The violence came after Metrorail’s services were cut abruptly on Thursday night because the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa had not paid its Eskom bill.

A hasty payment was made, and services were restored.

Further afield in Paarl, Western Cape Transport MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula spent Thursday working on a deal to ease tensions between taxi operators.

The ANC in the Boland region stated the parties would return to Mbekweni in Paarl on March 6 to assess the progress of the mediation.

“We needed to intervene because the community was suffering, and lives were lost in a conflict that is destabilising the community. It was our responsibility to work for peace,” said ANC regional task team secretary Sabelo Mahlathi.

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