Taximen create a no-go zone in city centre

Traffic in the Johannesburg CBD came to a standstill yesterday as Soweto taxi drivers marched to the office of the premier, blocking the streets with their parked taxis, demanding to be allowed to operate on their routes again.

Gauteng MEC for roads and transport Ismail Vadi has issued an ultimatum in a notice of intent to close taxi ranks and suspend the routes of two rival taxi associations in Soweto, the NancefieldDube West Taxi Association (Nanduwe) and the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (Wata).

The conflict between Nanduwe and Wata has been simmering for several months, at times resulting in the loss of lives and interrupting commuter services.

Nanduwe taxi operators have been accusing Wata of defying a court judgment ordering them to withdraw their taxis from the Dube route and also prohibiting them from picking up passengers in the area.

They have also been fighting over early morning pick-up points in Mofolo, Orlando West and Central Western Jabavu.

Members of the Nanduwe group took to the streets yesterday, closing all intersections around the office of the premier and the MEC’s office, saying they have been prevented from operating on their routes by unknown security guards.

“Yesterday we could not even pick up passengers on our routes because armed security guards were posted at strategic places to prevent us. So we are not leaving here until the premier comes to address us.

“The MEC has failed us so we are escalating this matter to the premier,” a taxi driver who refused to be named said.

Streets affected included Harrison, Pritchard, Simmonds, President, Jeppe and Sauer, and others around FNB Bank City.

Law-enforcement officers on the scene appeared to be overwhelmed by the number of taxi drivers. One Johannesburg Metro Police Department officer fired a single bullet and was chased by the drivers. – ANA