Commuters across Gauteng stranded amid standoff between taxi operators & security
Thousands of commuters across Gauteng were on Thursday morning left stranded after minibus taxis were suspended due to an ongoing taxi strike.
The taxi strike is reportedly linked to an ongoing dispute between taxi operators and private security companies used by the taxi industry as patrollers.
Spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said the taxi strike erupted on Thursday morning.
“The EMPD wishes to confirm the taxi strike, which erupted this morning, causing disruption within the City of Ekurhuleni. Police officials have been deployed to monitor the situation, across the three regions of the city,” she said.
“It is unclear what the cause for the strike is, but investigations are underway, at this moment we cannot speculate on the circumstances.”
Meanwhile, the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) said taxi operations in several parts of Gauteng have been temporarily suspended due to the strike.
“The SA National Taxi Council can confirm that taxi operations in Tembisa, Germiston, Benoni, Katlehong, Vosloorus as well as other areas within the Gauteng province are temporarily suspended. This follows a disagreement between our patrollers and some of the security that we use as an industry in that particular region, and a bus company operating routes in that region,” Santaco spokesperson Rebecca Phala spoke to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
“This disagreement which took place yesterday saw some of our patrollers and security officials as well as their vehicles being impounded and there being arrests.”
Gauteng – Taxi Availability issues in Tembisa pic.twitter.com/5fkraXzO5h
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) March 7, 2024
Phala said an urgent meeting was scheduled on Thursday in a bid to speedily resolve the impasse.
“There is an urgent meeting between the industry and all other affected parties to speedily resolve this matter. We wish to send our apologies to commuters of the taxi industry within the Gauteng province who have been affected by this.
“We will continue to give you details as and when there are updates in relation to this matter,” she said.
-IOL
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