Taxi intimidation infuriates North Coast business owners
Company transport drivers claim they were stopped at gunpoint and staff ordered off the bakkies.
North Coast business owners were left infuriated early this week when Dolphin Coast Taxi Association members again stopped and intimidated company bakkie drivers transporting workers to work
Reports of such incidents began surfacing on Monday morning and escalated into Tuesday, with some drivers claiming they were stopped at gunpoint and their staff ordered off the bakkies.
One construction company owner the Courier spoke to said two of her drivers based in Shakaskraal are responsible for transporting 10 colleagues to and from various work sites throughout the day.
She said the use of bakkies for transportation is essential for their operations as it saves time and money.
If the intimidation persists, she may be forced to place her staff on temporary unpaid leave until the threats are addressed, and replace them with workers who can work without the complications caused by taxi interference.
“I’m not going to fight this. The taxi bosses must just know if they continue with what they are doing, jobs will be lost and the Dolphin Coast economy will suffer.”
Another North Coast resident who shared a message on a WhatsApp group notifying residents about the situation in Shakaskraal, said she received a call from an alleged taxi owner telling her to stop interfering with their business. It left her terrified, given the caller had her name and address.
Spokesperson for the taxi association, Siyabonga Ntombela, did not deny that members were stopping bakkies transporting workers.
“It might not be appropriate how this is handled, but it is the result of frustration due to lack of law enforcement regarding the use of appropriate vehicles for passenger transport. Until authorities do something about these bakkies, we are not going to stop.”
According to him, they were informed by the Department of Transport that bakkies may only transport a maximum of five people in the bin and they must be certified to do so.
They don’t see this law being enforced, however.
He claims the impact on their business arises from the fact that some drivers actually charge their colleagues for transportation, which is against the law.
Last year a transport committee was formed to address similar incidents of taxi intimidation which emerged but Ntombela said nothing has changed.
iLembe Chamber of Commerce CEO Cobus Oelofse acknowledged an influx of complaints from affected businesses and emphasised the importance of finding suitable strategies that prevent disruptions in an already challenging local economic environment.
He urged business owners to familiarise themselves with the KZN Department of Transport regulations pertaining to passenger transport and comply, also calling on law enforcement agencies and transport authorities to effectively police the regulations.
He further urged taxi owners and their representative bodies to ensure compliance of the law . “Upholding the law and enforcing it consistently is crucial for the economic prosperity of the region,” Oelofse said.
Regulation 247 of the National Road Traffic Act clearly stipulates that “no person shall transport school children or any other individuals for reward in the goods compartment of a motor vehicle, except for vehicles compliant with the National Land Transport Act”.
Regulations also stipulate specific safety requirements, such as the minimum height of protective railings on vehicles for seated and standing passengers.
Contrary to perceptions, there are no limitations on the number of passengers allowed, provided the provisions of Regulation 247 are met and the vehicle’s gross weight limit is not exceeded.
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