Taxi associations ‘regret stranding commuters’

THE Mamelodi Transport Solution has apologised to residents after a prolonged period of chaos and disruptions that left thousands of commuters stranded.

Taxi association official Stemer Monageng said yesterday that the Mamelodi Taxi Association (Mata) and Mamelodi Long Distance Taxi Association (Malta) were sorry about the disruptions in the township.

Monageng was speaking to the Pretoria News outside the Department of Community Safety’s pound in Koedoespoort, where more than 50 taxis owned by the associations were being kept after being impounded this week.

Monageng was helping to facilitate the return of the taxis.

He said most of the taxis had been returned to their owners after they paid their fines.

Taxi operators were left fuming this week when Operation Fiela was brought into the township to end the violence that erupted after the introduction of the AutoPax buses last week.

On Thursday, taxi bosses said they had reached a deal to have their taxis returned and fines scrapped as most had been issued in a situation of conflict with the police.

Department of Community Safety spokesman Thapelo Moila denied this, saying the government would not negotiate the return of unroadworthy vehicles.

The confiscation of the taxis led to a stayaway by taxi drivers on Thursday, with thousands of commuters being left stranded. The service returned to normal yesterday, with most taxis back on the road.