Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) says they are now operating at 80 – 85% of their regular service schedule after buses to several routes were limited due to the ongoing taxi violence in Cape Town.
Thousands of commuters were forced to make alternative travelling arrangements on Monday, July 19 following the bus company’s announcement that it would limit its services as a safety precaution. This comes after one of its drivers was shot in the mouth.
Cape Town – #TaxiViolence Busy at the central Cape Town bus terminus: bus and taxi services becoming limited / restricted across parts of the city pic.twitter.com/62TgFCKhoH
— Rob Beezy (@TrafficSA) July 19, 2021
GABS’s Chief Executive Officer, Francois Meyer, indicated that the recent spate of taxi violence across the metropole has had a devastating impact on Golden Arrow’s ability to offer its scheduled services to the 250 000 daily passengers.
“Historically Golden Arrow has been known as the most stable public transport operator who has always been there for Capetonians when other services were not operational. Unfortunately, the brazen criminality that we have seen over the last week has made this impossible,” Meyer said.
Meyer also met with Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, MEC for Transport and Public Works Daylin Mitchell, the Provincial Department of Transport, SAPS and the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Directorate on Wednesday, July 21, regarding the ongoing violence.
Im now at the Golden Arrow Bus Depot with Min. Mitchell to meet with the CEO and management regarding how we as prov. government can help ensure safety of commuters. I will be issuing a statement soon on some additional interventions we will be taking to keep commuters safe. pic.twitter.com/YvQ1Tirv9E
— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) July 21, 2021
Meanwhile, Minister Mitchell continued his engagements with National Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, CATA, CODETA and SANTACO, as part of renewed efforts to find a lasting resolution to this conflict. This is in addition to a number of steps being taken by the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works, to ensure an end to taxi violence in the greater Cape Town area after more than 70 people have been killed in related shootings since the beginning of the year.
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Picture: Twitter/@Takatso_Molo