Taxi drivers to protest again

By Tarryn Le Chat
30 October 2006

In anticipation of more strike action by disgruntled taxi drivers today, the Western Cape Taxi Council has called a meeting with drivers and owners to try to resolve the situation.

Last Thursday saw thousands of taxi drivers on strike, unhappy at what they called victimisation by law enforcement officials, abandon their vehicles and hurl stones, in running street battles with police on some of the city’s main roads.

The N2, R300 and roads into various townships were blockaded temporarily as the striking drivers’ burnt tyres, attacked buses and hurled rocks and stones at commuters and police.

Police fired rubber bullets to disperse taxi drivers who blockaded the N2 and tried to stage illegal marches to central Cape Town.

Western Cape Taxi Council chairperson, Junaid Peters said today’s anticipated strike was not about the government’s R7 billion taxi recapitalisation programme, “The strike is against law enforcement. We anticipated some kind of action today.”

Peters said that the situation has become unruly and the owners don’t accept the hijacking and burning of buses.

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