THE Margate-Gamalakhe Taxi Owners’ Association has voiced its dissatisfaction with the memorandum which was handed over to the SAPS and Hibiscus Coast Municipality during Bambanani Margate Taxi Association’s march on Tuesday last week.
Bambanani had accused the SAPS and HCM of favouring Gamalakhe whenever there was taxi violence. The organisation also accused some SAPS members and HCM of owning taxis in Gamalakhe.
In a statement sent to the Herald, Gamalakhe said the claims that SAPS officials and municipal officials owned taxis in Gamalakhe and that they supported Gamalakhe were unfounded.
The statement read, “The allegations that Bambanani was forced out of its loading zone by Gamalakhe Taxi Association is faulty. The truth is that Bambanani was forced out from the rank by Zamokuhle. Zamokuhle Association, which owns the long distance route, is formed by members from different associations. It is members of these associations who are against the illegal transportation of commuters from Margate to Durban by Bambanani”
The statement also went on to say that the MEC for Transport, Willies Mchunu, at a meeting held in June this year, stated that Bambanani had no right to transport commuters from Margate to Durban or to transport commuters from Margate to Port Shepstone.
The statement said Bamabanani needed to resolve the following issues; The issue of using an illegal starting point in Margate instead of using their legal starting point which is in Port Edward; the illegal transportation of commuters from Margate to Durban and the transporting of commuters from Margate to Port Shepstone instead of from Port Edward to Port Shepstone.
