Transport minister calls on City to release impounded vehicles

Transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has called for the City of Cape Town to immediately release, without any conditions, the taxis impounded under the City's amended traffic bylaws. According to Chikunga, those impounded under national laws are not affected by this reprieve.

PICTURE - Twitter - @DoTransport: Transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga

The minister addressed the media on Tuesday, in Midrand, Gauteng on the government’s interventions in the taxi strike called by Santaco in the Western Cape.

She said the city had introduced conditions for operating licences, and it was these bylaws the taxi industry had expressed reservations about.

“We have national laws in place that govern the infringements and penalties dealt with in the contested conditions of operating licences. The national laws are in place to ensure that fair rules are applicable to all citizens irrespective of the city or province they reside in. It can never be that a city will define itself outside the parameters of national laws and implement penalties that are out of sync with these laws.

“To this end, we call on the city to return to the negotiating table to address the areas of disagreement and demonstrate a genuine effort to find a lasting resolution to the current challenges.”

Chikunga said the department remained committed to speedily finding an amicable solution that would enable the taxi industry to call off the strike. She asked the taxi industry to not to resort any form of violence or intimidation by its members.

 

Done By: Esona Mfazwe