M5 rush hour taxi blockade

HUNDREDS of motorists using the M5/Prince George Drive spent yesterday morning’s rush hour gridlocked as 50 minibus taxis blockaded the road at the corner of Military Road in a long-simmering dispute between two rival taxi organisations.

The Retreat Taxi Association (RTA) has charged that Vrygrond Taxi Association (VTA) members should be banned from its routes as most of their members were operating illegally.

RTA chairperson Jay-Jay Maans said his association had exhausted all avenues, having gone as far as approaching the Western Cape Department of Transport, without any successes.

Maans said striking was their only option.

He said only 10 operating licences had been granted to VTA, but there were more than 100 operators.

“We can’t go into Vrygrond, but they invade our routes.

“Our taxis have been burnt, and by striking we want the government to see our frustrations.

“Their (VTA’s) actions frustrates us. They must get off our routes.

“The 10 (VTA taxis that are operating legally) are welcome to do business,” said Maans.

He added that one of his members had been arrested and charged with public violence in relation to the blockade at the intersection.

A member of VTA’s executive committee, who did not want to give his name, said the provincial transport department had failed to resolve the dispute between the two associations, and was fuelling the flames by granting only 10 operating licences.

“It is a disgrace for the government to grant such a small number of licences.

“Where are they expecting other members to operate? We will not not stop until they come to their senses and come with an amicable solution,” said the member.

Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant’s spokesperson, Siphesihle Dube, said the department had pursued mediation in the past in relation to this dispute.

Dube said the Provincial Transport Registrar had instituted disciplinary action against VTA for contravening the code of conduct for taxi associations by taking on unregistered and unlicensed members, flooding routes with illegal operators and preventing legal operators from RTA from entering certain areas.

“VTA has used every opportunity to delay, frustrate and hinder the registrar’s process, with their latest attempt last week being a request for a high court order to stop the process, but their attempt was unsuccessful,” he said.

Dube said the department’s officials were in contact with both associations “to appeal for cool heads and respect for the law”.

He said that this year, 865 fines had been issued, and 29 taxis belonging to members of VTA were impounded for operating without the appropriate permits.

RTA had been warned “not to take the law into their own hands”, said Dube. The police had not responded by the time of publication.

‘We will not stop until they come with an amicable solution’