Taxi people blocked the roads in a protest

All the entrance and exit points of roads leading and going out of KwaGuqa were all blocked. Motorists were taken on a merry go round trying to find a way out of the township.

In the midst of all the confusion questions were asked and the answers came in bold big letters that the roads were blocked by taxi people, taxi owners and taxi drivers. Chairperson of the Local Taxi Association, Mr Solly Vilane confirmed that the protest was undertaken by the taxi owners and drivers.

A truck used by protesting taxi owners and drivers at the KG Mall circle in Vosman on Monday, August 27.

A bus was also used to block the road and keys taken by protesting taxi drivers and owners.

They want to be included when RDP houses are allocated at Siyanqoba. He said he was asked by the group to represent them as their leader to approach the municipality and presented their request.

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“As taxi people we are working 24/7 and we do not have off days and I approached former mayor Lindiwe Ntshalitshali in August last year (2017). She agreed that something would be done about the issue of houses. When I approached her later she said that she has passed on the issue to the present mayor Cllr Linah Malatjie who confirmed that she was aware of the matter,” explained Mr Vilane.

Mr Vilane added to say that seeing that nothing was happening while other people were being allocated houses at Siyanqoba, the taxi people decided to take action, hence the protest. A resolution was taken after a meeting held last week Friday.

Mr Vilane also said they had a meeting with the mayor after the protest and they were assured that the matter was receiving her attention.
Vosman police reported that they have arrested five suspects after the protest action and are investigating a case of public violence.

Constastable Kgomotso Maluleke said that the arrested suspects are aged between 24 and 38 on the day.

Trucks used to block Mathew Phosa Drive near the KG Mall in Vosman on Monday, August 27.

Burning charcoal offloaded from truck which was used to block the N4 Highway during a protest by taxi owners and drivers.

“The protestants ran away when they saw the police after they had hijacked buses and trucks to block the road near KG Mall in the Vosman circle and on the Mathew Phosa off-ramp on the N4 Highway. Other roads that were blocked were the Schonland Drive and Kromdraai off-ramp. The drivers of the trucks and buses told us that they were forced to stop by a group of people who pulled them out of their vehicles by force, then drove the trucks and buses and parked them in the middle of the roads to block the road. The motive of the protesting taxi owners and drivers was to get the attention of the executive mayor about the allocations of RDP houses at Siyanqoba,” explained Constable Maluleke.