Taxi strike threat over metro’s new bus system strategy
THE taxi industry in Nelson Mandela Bay could grind to a halt if the provincial, or even national, government does not investigate allegations of misconduct related to the city’s Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS).
This comes after two taxi associations signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the municipality without the consent of the unified taxi associations and without the guidance of their negotiating body, Laphum’ilanga.
Laphum’ilanga, which has been at the forefront of the taxi industry’s negotiations with the municipality on the IPTS, accused the municipality of applying a divideand-rule strategy to create tension in the industry and cause mistrust among taxi operators.
They have urged the provincial government, and national structures, to intervene or to investigate the conduct of the IPTS office, before they are forced to take legal action or go on strike.
Laphum’ilanga chief executive Gregory Rockman said they had reached an understanding with the previous Nelson Mandela Bay government on a unified way forward to make the IPTS a safe and reliable public transport system.
“The initial meeting [of our] directors and the new municipal leadership was also positive.
“Thereafter they have declined to meet with Laphum’ilanga as the mandated body of the taxi industry in the metro,” he said.
Rockman said he had written a letter to new mayor Athol Trollip and received positive feedback, but it seemed the relationship had deteriorated since then.
“It seems the new government has taken it upon itself to overturn everything the previous government put in place,” he said.
Laphum’ilanga director Julius Jonono said they could not impose their will on the two associations that had signed the agreement, but hoped to persuade them to retract their decision and rejoin the unified associations.
Mayoral committee member Rano Kayser said he was not aware of the meeting referred to and would have to look into the matter before he could comment.
The associations that signed the MOA, the Northern Areas Taxi Association and the Algoa Taxi Association, both said they were not part of Laphum’ilanga.