IN TWEETS: Taxi drivers strike to get unroadworthy vehicles back on the road

The Alexandra Taxi Association is striking on Monday after the JMPD impounded more than 500 of its taxis at the weekend, EWN has reported.

Reports indicate that violence has broken out at a taxi rank in Alexandra.

Jacaranda News has also reported the MTN taxi rank in the Johannesburg CBD is a “no-go zone”, with hundreds of commuters left stranded.

Taxi routes in Sandton‚ Midrand‚ Woodmead‚ Modderfontein and Alexandra are affected, and commuters have been advised to make alternative plans.

The vehicles were impounded because they are not roadworthy, according to the police, with some licence discs five years past their expiry dates.

“We’re not going to apologise for enforcing the law, especially when people are doing the wrong things and say that we must just turn a blind eye. Taxis are carrying people’s lives, people who will come to us when there’s an accident,” said JMPD’s Edna Mamonyane.

The South African National Taxi Council has not commented so far on the development of the strike.

The impounding of taxis was just one of the results of the JMPD’s Buya Mthetho Operations over the weekend. It has been reported that 195 people were also arrested for drunk driving, three for possession of drugs worth an estimated R136 000, and two others were arrested after stolen drums of engine oil were found in their possession.

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