Violence and intimidation during taxi strike

This was despite taxi drivers and associations being warned against violent and unruly behaviour during the National Taxi Alliance’s protest.

Wayne Minnaar, Metro police spokesperson, said incidents of intimidation were reported, adding that at Allandale Road off the N1 striking taxi drivers were fighting with non-striking taxi drivers.

Minnaar, however, could not comment on the extent of damage or injuries caused by these clashes.

Prior to the protest, the Gauteng community safety department had warned taxi drivers and associations to refrain from disruptive and intimidating behaviour.

“Motor vehicles found to be obstructing traffic, blocking roads and/or freeways will be subjected to stringent law enforcement by Gauteng traffic police and other law enforcement agencies,” spokesperson Obed Sibasa said.

Inner city taxis were operating on 3 February, although not at full capacity.

Meanwhile, taxi operations in Soweto, Douglasdale, Centurion, Katlehong and Tokhoza were at a near standstill.

Lucas Khumalo, a Tokhoza resident, was forced to make alternative arrangements to get to work.

He said many commuters resorted to walking to neighbouring townships to establish if taxis were operating in those areas after taxis in Tokhoza did not arrive.

“After discovering that there were no taxis operating and that they were stranded many people decided to go home,” he said.

The National Taxi Alliance planned to protest to highlight several grievances, including the government’s failure to issue taxi drivers with operating licences.

These licences would deem taxi drivers eligible for e-toll exemptions.

Meanwhile, Sanral has acknowledged the plight of taxi drivers and associations, saying it was aware that some taxi operators had not received their operating licenses from transport authorities.

Sanral spokeperson Vusi Mona said the roads agency had requested that taxi associations provide it with a list of their members’ vehicles and the necessary documentation so that these could be loaded onto the system and be identified as exempt vehicles.

Those that had already been billed would receive a credit note and will not be held liable for the outstanding amount, he said.

This was an interim measure until the processing of operating licences was completed.

National Taxi Alliance spokesperson Theo Malele said the government’s failure to issue operating licences has left them vulnerable to constant harassment by law enforcement officials, resulting in taxis being impounded and commuters being inconvenienced.

Without being issued operating licences, taxis operations are rendered illegal on the roads.

Malele added that despite the government and Sanral’s claims that taxi operators with a valid operating licence would be exempt from e-tolling, the majority have yet to receive their licences.

“We are receiving wads of notices for payment as well as threats of being handed over [to authorities] from Sanral,” he said.

The National Taxi Alliance is the mother body of several taxi associations throughout the country and affiliated associations from other provinces are expected to participate in the protest.

The alliance and its affiliates will meet in Pretoria on 3 February, where they will march from Marabastad to the office of the Minister of Transport to hand over a memorandum, outlining their grievances, Malele said.

The South African National Taxi Council and its affiliates would not be involved in the protest.

Randburg United Local and Long Distance Taxi Association public relations officer, Alfred Mashishi, said the taxi council-affiliated association had heard about the protest but had not received any information regarding its participation.

Mashishi said Randburg United’s members would be operating as usual on 3 February.