Taxi associations, Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta), say no taxi’s will operate from  04h00 Monday morning.

The Western Cape minibus taxi industry will on Monday embark on an indefinite strike as they meet with the MEC for Transport and Public Works to table their concerns. Aggrieved taxi drivers are set to down tools amid continued calls to have their demands tabled with MEC, Donald Grant. This in a bid to set up a pre-election conference for nominating new leadership and for the establishment of a task team to audit vehicles currently impounded.

Speaking to VOC News, spokesperson for the Provincial Minibus Taxi Task Team, Besuthu Ndungane, says they will at 07h00 on Monday, 18 September 2017, meet with the MEC to table their demands.

Ndungane says the minibus taxi industry in the Western Cape is calling on the MEC to grant them a pre-election conference, to precede the provincial elections.

“Currently as the minibus taxi industry in the western cape, we have no provincial leadership.”

Given the fact the industry has no formal leadership to engage with the MEC on issues relating to impoundments, the taxi associations are calling for the MEC to establish a moratorium on all the impoundments until new leadership is instated, which Ndungane says the industry hopes will not be later that the end of October, 2017.

In addition, Ndungane says the MEC is requested to establish a provincial task team, which should include government officials and representatives from the provincial minibus taxi industry, to investigate vehicles that are currently at the impoundment.

“We would like to present to the government that some of those vehicles that are kept on the impoundment are kept there unfairly.

“However, I think it is important to indicate that we are not promoting lawlessness. We are responsible business people [and] we know what is required of us by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” he stated.

Ndungane says that since September, 2016, the MEC has not been willing to engage with the minibus taxi industry, purportedly only agreeing to a meeting this week.

“He has been denying us access to his office and refusing to engage with us as the minibus taxi industry. He wanted to engage with the members that were part of the provincial leadership, of which their term ended in March.

“That is what has caused people to be so upset on the ground, because currently there are people who are claiming to be representing us as the Minibus Taxi Industry. Whereas, he knew himself their term of office expired a long time ago.”

Ndungane further asserts that the Minibus Taxi Industry intends to retain control of its management, with no guarantee that Monday’s meeting will end the provincial strike.

If the demands are not met, the minibus taxi industry threatens an indefinite strike.

Given the expected impact that the strike will have on commuters, Ndungane says that if the MEC has the commuters “at heart”, he will deal with their demands practically.

“He knows that we commanding a big chunk of the transport industry in this province and we have been instrumental and practical in terms of contributing towards the major public transport needs.

“We are also affected economically, because we are not going to accept an MEC that wants us to be economically excluded…We are not doing charity, this is a business.”

Minibus taxi operating license holders will be awaiting the response of the MEC at the Wynberg Military Base Sports Centre.

Commuters are warned to make alternative arrangements.  

VOC 91.3fm