UPDATE: Pta taxi strike flops
"We have not yet received any information about taxi disruption in Pretoria but we will continue to monitor the situation."
The threatened “week long” taxi drivers’ strike in Pretoria has failed to materialise, Tshwane metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba confirmed on Monday.
“We have not yet received any information about taxi disruption in Pretoria but we will continue to monitor the situation,” he said.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Santaco distances itself from taxi strike
Last week the Democratic Taxi Workers’ Union of SA (Detwusa) issued an alert threatening a week-long strike by minibus taxi drivers and a march to the Union Buildings this week to demand the scrapping on traffic fines to taxi drivers.
But taxis bosses were openly opposed to this strike from the onset.
Mabopane Winterveld Klipgat Taxi Association (Mawikta) said its drivers would not be allowed to proceed with the strike.
“Passengers taking the Mabopane, Winterfeldt, Klipgat, Garankuwa and Pretoria route are advised that the planned strike from 18 to 22 September is illegal,” said Mawikta operational officer Louis Bokaba.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Tshwane bus damaged in taxi strike
He said the association had informed the police about the illegal strike so they could patrol all routes to ensure commuter safety.
SA national taxi council (Santaco) also distanced itself from the planned strike with spokesperson McDonald Makata claiming the council was not even aware of the strike.
“We have an open door policy and we are not saying they must not strike, but proper channels must be followed and they have never come forward for us to hear their issues as the council. We are not part of the march as Santaco,” said Makata.
Meanwhile, in Cape Town, two buses were torched and commuters injured during the violent taxi strike on Monday.
Nine taxi council regions in Western Cape were said to be unhappy with the leadership of their organisation and wanted MEC for transport and public works Donald Grant to scrap the council and set up a pre-election conference for nominations for new leadership.
ALSO READ: Another Pretoria taxi strike next week
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