Party supporters stranded after taxi operators not paid

MORE than 100 ANC supporters were left stranded for hours in King William’s Town on Tuesday night after eight minibus taxi operators refused to take them home as they had not been paid.

The ANC supporters were in the town to attend the Human Rights Day event where President Jacob Zuma was a guest speaker.

The angry crowd even threatened to break into the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture offices as the department had organised the event. Theybarricaded Buffalo Road for several hours, forcing traffic to be diverted.

East London public order policing unit members were dispatched to the scene but were unable to handle the crowd, who refused to move.

King William’s Town police spokeswoman Captain Siphokazi Mawisa said a case of public violence had been opened.

Mawisa said the taxi drivers had been paid later and the crowd dispersed after that.

The supporters were from Buffalo City Metro’s Ward 32, which includes villages in Chalumna.

Minibus taxis from the area were hired to ferry people to the event for a R1 100 fee.

However, after the event they were allegedly told they would receive just R800.

The transport arrangements had reportedly been outsourced to an events and project management company.