Roads must change‘ taxi protest
Grahamstown taxi drivers have rubbished rumours that the looting of foreign nationals’ spaza shops this week was influenced by the protest they had on Wednesday October 21.
The protest was organised by both Border Alliance and Uncedo Service Taxi Associations according to leader of the taxi committee, Mazi Ncwadi. The drivers and conductors protested about what they described as poor roads in Grahamstown, starting their protest in Joza and heading for the City Hall.
In their memorandum, the taxi operators mentioned that there were many crimes being committed and people were being killed. They claimed that victims’ bodies were being cut up and parts removed.
Police and traffic officers closed High Street because of the protest.
Soon afterwards came reports that people were looting the shops of foreign nationals in the CBD. Later, the looting moved to the township and police had to intervene. Many shops were forced to close up.
Ncwadi said the looting had nothing to do with their protest. It was peaceful and police were present all the way from Joza to the town centre.
“We didn’t loot any foreigner’s shops. When we went down to town, police were present and, after the protest, we went back to the rank and started our work as normal. Something that happened in the location can’t be associated with us,” said Ncwadi.
The operators called the Mayor, Nomhle Gaga, to come and take their memorandum of demands.
The operators were informed that they hadn’t followed the right procedures and therefore nobody would take their memorandum. Later they were informed that Gaga was not around.
They insisted that they be addressed and said they wouldn’t leave until someone came out and accepted the memorandum. Infrastructure and Technical Services acting director, Dali Mlenzana, together with councillor Thuleka Ngeleza eventually came out and accepted the memorandum and gave them some immediate answers. Ngeleza informed the protesters that their protest was illegal because they did not apply for it at the traffic department and inform the municipality.
Photo: Anele Mjekula