Law enforcement and the public brace themselves for the second day of a two-day taxi strike. The City of Cape Town condemned violent protests yesterday when buses belonging to MyCiti and Golden Arrow were torched and thousands of commuters were stranded with no way of getting to work or school.
Also read: Taxi Strike: Business as usual in CBD-Buses burn in Khayelitsha
Members of the Western Cape Flying Squad also arrested three suspects and confiscated 13 petrol bombs in Delft on Monday morning.
According to SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, police on route patrol noticed a Toyota Quantum minibus and a sedan in pursuit of a furniture delivery vehicle that was driving on Delft Main Road shortly before 11am.
“Once they pulled over the 15-seater vehicle and the sedan, they searched the vehicles,” said Potelwa. “Thirteen petrol bombs were discovered and the suspects were subsequently apprehended.”
“The suspects between the ages of 28 and 32, are alleged to have strong links to the taxi industry and expected to appear in court as soon as they are charged in terms of the explosives act.”
“The furniture delivery vehicle was escorted out of the area by the police members. Integrated police contingents comprising SAPS members, the City of Cape Town’s law enforcement officials and traffic services continue to maintain a strong presence at identified hotspots while the taxi strike is being monitored.”
Meanwhile, Mayco member Rob Quintas called on Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to assist in devising a strategy to formalise and modernise the minibus-taxi industry.
“The City has noted the demands from Santaco, representing the minibus-taxi operators in the Western Cape,” said Quintas. “We fully agree that formalising the industry is key to its long-term sustainability.”
“A modernised and efficient minibus-taxi industry is in the interest of operators, those employed by the industry, and more importantly, commuters. As such, I am calling on the national minister of transport to urgently address the call for assistance.”
Quintas added that the minibus-taxi operators who were impacted by the roll-out of the first phase of the MyCiTi service are shareholders in three of the four vehicle operating companies contracted to operate the MyCiTi bus service, which includes the N2 Express.
“This constituted one of the biggest empowerment drives of the minibus-taxi industry by local government, and also involved capacitation and training,” Quintas added.
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Picture: Cape{town}Etc Library