Violent clashes between taxi drivers and law enforcement over the impounding of vehicles in Cape Town’s CBD have seen opposition parties rally behind the taxi industry, with the ANC in the province accusing the City of ‘kragdadigheid’ (heavy-handedness) and violating human rights for their handling of the matter.
Also read: The City calls for peaceful resolution amid a potential minibus-taxi strike
‘Tuesday’s actions represent the apartheid-inspired dictatorial and divisive modus operandi of the DA when dealing with matters affecting the poor and working class in the Western Cape,’ ANC Provincial Secretary Neville Delport told IOL.
‘Mini-bus taxi operators have been in constant engagement with the City, demanding that working cars should not be impounded while the process of waiting for their permits is still ongoing.’
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‘Notwithstanding the ANC’s advice, the DA-led administration, like the apartheid government, responded with violence instead of constructive dialogue. In fact, to date, the City has failed to respond to a memorandum from the taxi industry. We are not surprised by these actions 29 years into our democracy.’
The EFF shared similar sentiments with Cape Metro regional chairperson, Ntsikelelo Tyandela, accusing the City of deliberately delaying the issuance of taxi operating permits in order to frustrate taxi operators.
Taxi drivers caused violence in Cape Town earlier. In this video, they met their match SAPS and Metro… pic.twitter.com/vEXdnWN4Fl
— Vehicle Trackers (@VehicleTrackerz) August 1, 2023
‘The EFF stands strongly opposed to the harsh and newly enacted by-laws that empower officers to impound a taxi instead of issuing a fine. We warn the City to prioritise engagements towards issuing permits and stop its brutal usage of state apparatus to target the taxi industry, as it will result in catastrophic consequences,’ said Tyandela.
Earlier this week, Safety and Security Mayco Member JP Smith said that the City’s traffic services had impounded 15 public transport vehicles in the area, which had resulted in a blockade by taxi drivers of the station deck taxi rank and surrounds.
‘The situation became more volatile following an assault on a traffic officer, with the SAPS Public Order Policing Unit responding, supported by the Metro Police Tactical Response Unit. Officers came under fire, and responded using stun grenades and tear gas. It was then discovered that several of the suspects had locked themselves in a taxi, and senior SAPS officials ordered members to breach the vehicle. Officers responded by breaking a window and removing the occupants from the vehicle,’ he said.
According to Smith, the City had been inundated with complaints pertaining to public transport operators who failed to observe the rules of the road.
Among the reported incidents, Smith said two City traffic officers conducted a routine traffic stop after a taxi ignored a red traffic light at the corner of Jan Smuts Drive and Govan Mbeki Road.
In the process, the driver and his passenger allegedly became enraged, assaulting the officers, who opened fire, wounding one of their assailants in the leg.
‘Both suspects were detained at Philippi SAPS. The officers sustained some bruises and scratches during the altercation. This brazen attack comes on the back of yesterday’s chaos in the CBD, where taxi drivers also assaulted a traffic officer and staged a blockade in response to enforcement operations. I have said it before, and will reiterate it once more – we will not bow to intimidation by anyone who thinks that they have a right to break the law and not face the consequences,’ said Smith.
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Also read:
Video: ‘We will not be intimidated’ – JP Smith’s firm stance on taxi violence
Picture: Screenshot / @VehicleTrackerz / Twitter