Santaco’s taxi strike in Western Cape called off

The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has called off its taxi strike in the Western Cape on Wednesday.

Stayaway called off

This comes after the taxi association met with Western Cape premier Alan Winde and Cape Town mayor Geordin-Hill Lewis.

“Following the meeting that was held today between the executive of Santaco Western Cape and the provincial leadership the Santaco executive committee has elected to call off the provincial stayaway that was scheduled for 22 February 2023 (Wednesday) due to the progress made in the meeting,” Santaco said in a statement.

“We hereby notify all operators, drivers and commuters that taxi operations will continue as usual.”

ALSO READ: Many pupils expected to miss school during Santaco taxi strike

Taxi strike

Santaco’s taxi drivers were expected to go on a stayaway in the Western Cape on Wednesday to highlight a number of issues, including the unfair impounding of vehicles and not legalising existing minibus taxis.

Taxi drivers were told to park their minibuses at taxi ranks or their homes.

Taxi association denies it stopped pupils from going to school

The calling off of the Santaco strike comes after Western Cape Education Department (WCED) MEC David Maynier accused taxi associations of continuing their “illegal blockade” on Monday.

“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 buses 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.

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

“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,” Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi said.

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