URGENT TAXI MEETING: DoT calls on mayors, Santaco and taxi operators to meeting to resolve issues [WATCH]
The planned meeting at the Marburg Sports Ground is still taking place today.
The Department of Transport has invited the mayor of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, Zodwa Mzindle and the Ugu mayor Sikhumbuzo Mqadi for a meeting.
This meeting is set to take place in Pietermaritzburg today at 14:00.
Spokesperson for DoT, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said the meeting is between the department, Santaco and taxi operators.
“Critically, the meeting takes place following protests by taxi operators in the Ugu District Municipality. This meeting will focus on finding a long-lasting solution to the challenges faced by Ugu Taxi Association.”
Sibiya said that the DoT acknowledges the fact that the people of RNM are still picking up the pieces following ravaging floods in April.
“As the department, we want to be a catalyst for socio-economic recovery. An efficient public transport system is therefore critical.”
PRO for Bambanani, Martin Ngcungama said the taxi owners are still meeting in Marburg this morning.
Chairperson for Santaco in the Ugu region, Lizwi Maphumulo, said Santaco would then be attending the meeting in Pietermaritzburg in the afternoon.
“They know what we want and they know why the region is in this situation at the moment. All they have to do is give us permits because the way Operation Shanela has been working, it seems as if they are targeting us.”
Spokesperson for RNM Simon April said that the municipality did not receive any formal notice for the strike, neither an invitation for someone to address the strikers.
“The municipality was only approached on day one of the strike, at about 13:45, when more than 100 strikers arrived at our main offices and asked that the municipality to contact the MEC for Transport to come and address them.”
He said by the end of the first day of the strike, the strikers indicated that they would continue with the strike until their grievances are addressed.
Meanwhile, people who uses public transport have been seen walking to and fro, with some people hitch-hiking, hoping to get a lift in private vehicles.
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