Taxi drivers rage after impounding of vehicles

TAXI bosses in Nyanga are fuming after city traffic officers impounded 21 sedan taxis during a traffic blitz in the area yesterday.

During the operation, which focused on the so-called Amaphela (cockroach) taxis, a driver was arrested for outstanding warrants and a complaint lodged against another for threatening an officer.

“We speak and stand for the people, but we are being targeted. It is not right for the (local) government to take away our vehicles,” said Sipho Maseti, the SA National Taxi Association (Santaco) provincial spokesman.

“What we saw today was their failure to help people to get employment. When we are getting ourselves employment, they come and take it away.”

He said it was painful for the drivers to see their vehicles being towed away.

“We see this move as the abuse of power. They should have given us a time frame to get a solution, but they decided to take away our vehicles. Not in a single day did they engage with and tell us what they wanted or what they didn’t want. We were shocked when they came here very early in the morning,” said Maseti.

Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said traffic officers issued 287 fines for offences, which included 14 for unroadworthy vehicles, 27 for failure to wear safety belts, 41 for unlicensed motor vehicles and 46 for unlicensed drivers.

He said a sedan taxi was caught on the road again within an hour of being suspended for not being roadworthy. Officers then impounded the vehicle, Smith said.

“We saw taxi drivers openly flouting the law and defeating the ends of justice by diverting their vehicles over sidewalks to avoid traffic officers. This type of disrespect for the law needs to be addressed,” Smith said. He added that a weeklong clampdown in the area was also planned.

Traffic officers have also joined the metro police for Operation Restore, in which officers impounded seven taxis, issued 186 fines and arrested four people for outstanding warrants, fraud, providing false information and reckless and negligent driving in Mitchells Plain.

Smith said Cape Town’s commuters deserved reliable and safe public transport.

“They are parting with their hard-earned money to get from point A to B and the least the (taxi) operators can do is ensure their vehicles are properly licensed and the drivers fit to be behind the wheel.”

This is abuse of power. They should have given us time to get a solution