Daily Maverick
Dailymaverick logo

Maverick News

Maverick News

Buses set alight and stoned, many Western Cape commuters stranded as taxi council embarks on strike (Updated)

Buses set alight and stoned, many Western Cape commuters stranded as taxi council embarks on strike (Updated)
Velani Ludidi
By Velani Ludidi
20 Nov 2022
Facebook
5
Many commuters were left stranded and scrambling to find alternatives on Monday morning after the SA National Taxi Council embarked on a two-day protest over ‘unfair’ by-laws. The affected commuters include tens of thousands of Western Cape matrics writing their final exams.

Monday’s planned protest by the taxi industry is being “marked by violence, intimidation and thuggery”, with many commuters left stranded as cars have reportedly been stoned along the N7 at Dunoon and MyCiTi buses set alight and stoned in Khayelitsha and Imizamo Yethu.

MEC for urban mobility Rob Quintas said the City has suspended the N2 Express service in Khayelitsha, “with MyCiTi service deviations in place for Dunoon and surrounds, as well as Hout Bay. Similarly, the Dial-a-Ride service for people with special needs has also been suspended in Dunoon, Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Bloekombos, Delft and Nyanga until further notice.”

“Once again, stay-away action by the minibus-taxi industry is being marked by violence, intimidation, thuggery and attacks on other public transport services, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and deprived from earning an income," Quintas said.

The City of Cape Town said earlier it had deployed its Law Enforcement Advancement Project (LEAP) officers to volatile areas. In one instance, undercover officers were able to intervene when a Golden Arrow bus was hijacked, and the attempted hijacker was arrested.

So far, the following incidents have been reported to the City, according to Quintas:


  • MyCiTi staff vehicle stopped at 4.43am and staff were held hostage in an effort to prevent them from operating MyCiTi kiosks;

  • Gugulethu declared a “no-go area” shortly after 5am;

  • A MyCiTi bus set alight shortly before 6am at the Steve Biko bus stop on Japhta K Masemola Road in Khayelitsha;

  • MyCiTi bus routes serving Dunoon and surrounding areas deviated with immediate effect from 9am due to intimidation and threats. These are Routes T01, T04 and D08; and

  • A MyCiTi bus was stoned at Imizamo Yethu at 9.14am.


No injuries had been reported, but “many commuters and personnel have been traumatised by these events. Also, the destruction of public and private property is totally unacceptable and cannot be condoned, regardless of any grievances the minibus taxi industry may have.”

Quintas added: “The City is of the view that the national Department of Transport should take the lead in devising a strategy for formalising and modernising the minibus taxi industry; and secondly, that the national department should provide the funding for these efforts where they are implemented – be it on local or provincial level.”

“The City is doing all it can – given its mandate and financial resources – to support the minibus industry. However, it is the responsibility of the national Department of Transport to address the broader challenges faced by the industry.”

About two million commuters in the Western Cape stand to be effected by the two-day planned shutdown of minibus taxi services by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco). They include pupils who are writing their final exams.

The Western Cape education department notified pupils who were unable to get to their school to write their exam to head to the nearest examination centre by 10am at the latest, if the exam was due to start at 8am.

Santaco Western Cape chairperson Mandla Hermanus said the “provincial stayaway” was in protest against unfair provincial government by-laws.

The organisation has asked taxi commuters in the province to use alternative transport on Monday, 21 November and Tuesday, 22 November since no taxis would be available in the Western Cape.

Because of “the impoundment of our vehicles day by day, the heavy traffic fines and the issues of the Blue Dot, we are going to down tools”, said Hermanus.

Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations

The Western Cape has said its Blue Dot pilot project, which incentivised taxi drivers to improve and adopt safer driving habits, will cease operations on 30 November because of a lack of funding.

Hermanus asked taxi operators not to take part in any illegal activities during the two-day shutdown. “We urge our members not to intimidate private vehicles or burn buses and municipal vehicles.”

Taxi industry protest actions are frequently violent and sometimes commuters are prevented from using alternative transport. 

Daily Maverick reported on 3 November that Santaco had threatened to take 15,000 taxis off the streets if the Blue Dot pilot project was halted. 

“We demand a review of the by-laws under which taxis are impounded, funding for the expansion of Blue Dot and commitment by the Western Cape government to support formalisation efforts by the taxi industry,” Hermanus said.

Matrics affected


Western Cape education MEC David Maynier said the planned strike would have a serious impact on pupils writing end-of-year exams, and matrics in particular.

“Two high-enrolment subjects – life sciences and geography – are being written on Monday and Tuesday, along with a number of smaller subjects; 32,868 candidates are due to write exams on Monday, and 27,154 on Tuesday,” he said.

His department had taken steps to mitigate the impact of the transport strike: “We have contacted all of our exam centres regarding contingency plans and sent every individual matric candidate an SMS urging them to make alternate transport plans before Monday.

“Our schools have put plans in place to assist candidates if they can, using alternative transport and hostel facilities where available. These schools will communicate directly with their candidates.

“In addition, our districts have made contingency plans for matric candidates who are not able to reach their designated exam centre despite their best efforts. If this happens, we urge them to remain calm and go to their nearest exam centre where they will be guided to ensure that they can write the exam. We have plans in place to ensure that there will be enough exam papers, stationery and invigilators at all venues.”

Matrics and parents who have trouble getting to exam centres can call the toll-free number 0861 819 919.

Blue Dot game changer


In late 2020, the Western Cape government initiated the Blue Dot pilot project, the first of its kind in South Africa.

Hailed as a game changer, the project rewarded drivers by analysing the data from onboard trackers fitted in participating vehicles, monitoring routes and considering feedback from passengers and other members of the public. On-board WiFi allowed passengers to rate drivers and their service.

It was also seen as a way to formalise the minibus taxi industry, enabling it to be subsidised by the government. Golden Arrow and MyCiTi bus services are subsidised, with Golden Arrow reportedly receiving about R1.1-billion in the 2022/23 financial year.

MyCiTi recently shut routes after fuel price increases, which Hermanus said the taxi industry did not do despite not being subsidised.

Call on national government for support


MEC for mobility Daylin Mitchell said while he understood and shared Santaco’s concerns, he had requested in a meeting that it call off the planned shutdown.

“Any shutdown of minibus taxi services will have a devastating effect on many aspects of the Western Cape and cannot be condoned. The minibus taxi industry plays a critical role in the economy of the Western Cape and in the lives of our citizens, transporting two million passengers daily and accounting for 75% of all public transport trips,” he said.

He said a proposal had been taken to the national government to roll out Blue Dot countrywide.

“The Western Cape Government invested R215-million to prove that the pilot works and it is now up to others, including the national government, to support us and invest resources in the minibus taxi industry which has been ignored and underfunded for far too long.” DM

This is a developing story and this article was updated by Daily Maverick reporters at 11.25am on Monday.

Categories:

Tags: