Taxi tension
Ultimatum imposed to prevent escalation of unrest
FEARS of taxi disputes leading to bloodshed are at tipping point.
This after stand-offs at road blockages last week saw authorities step in to keep the peace and ensure motorists' safety.
Ngwelezane and B Rank (Rail) taxi associations have been given an ultimatum to submit proposals to the Department of Transport on Thursday, detailing an agreement on how the two will work together.
This came out at a meeting held on Friday by South African National Taxi
Council (Santaco) representatives, Department of Transport officials, police, municipal officials and both associations.
The meeting aimed to resolve the confrontation between the two associations following a series of confrontations over the Dumisani Makhaye Village (DMV) route. Last week, taxi drivers embarked on a roving protest, including the blocking of Ngwelezane Road and Maxwell Street in Empangeni.
Chairperson of the B Rank Taxi Association, BT Gumede said they have committed themselves to the arrangement.
“We welcome the proposal, and we are meeting on Monday. We will draft our proposal on Tuesday and submit it on Wednesday. "We need each other. “It would be painful if we fail to reach a working agreement as the department threatened that if that is the case, both associations will be removed from the Dumisani Makhaye route,” said Gumede.
Attempts to obtain comment from the Ngwelezane Taxi Association chairperson,
Skhumbuzo Buthelezi were unsuccessful.
However, KZN Santaco spokesperson Mduduzi Makhunga said the meeting was a success.
“We had previous meetings of this nature but the police were not represented."
Makhunga said, during the meeting it was stated which taxi association must pick up and drop off commuters, and where.
"Both chairmen committed to this in the presence of the police. We are hoping not to see any [more] protests or blocking of the roads.
“Now the police have to impound any minibus found blocking the road protesting about this matter,” he said.