Santaco plans stay-away in Western Cape next week
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) is planning to embark on a stay-away in the Western Cape next Wednesday.
The taxi body said that there were several reasons for this decision.
All operators have been advised to park their taxis either at home or at a rank.
Santaco has pleaded with its members to refrain from engaging in any acts of violence, intimidation or destruction.
It said that next week’s stay-away was in protest against the continued impounding of minibus taxis for minor traffic violations.
The council said that it had had enough of the ongoing marginalization of the taxi industry in the issuing of operating licences.
Operators said that they were also up in arms because the provincial government had allowed the Golden Arrow Bus Service to continue operating on the B97 route.
In December, after nearly 18 months of closure, the minibus-taxi route between Mbekweni in Paarl and Bellville was officially re-opened.
Former Western Cape Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell closed the route in July 2021 following the loss of lives and several incidents of violent conflict between members of rival associations over control of the route.
To minimize disruptions during the route closure, Mitchell authorized Golden Arrow to provide a replacement service for commuters and said that the service would continue to run in parallel with the taxi services until all valid tickets had been used.
Santaco said that drivers were led to believe that the bus service would come to an end after members of the taxi industry signed an agreement and received operating licences to resume services.
-EWN
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