Despite a weekend of negotiations between the Western Cape Government (WCG) and the City of Cape Town (CoCT) with the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), the taxi strike will continue this morning.
Also read: City responds to taxi strike, safety of commuters a priority
In a joint statement issued after a meeting yesterday afternoon, the WCG and CoCT expressed their concern that Santaco had resolved to continue their protest that saw the withdrawal of taxi services since Thursday last week, which has had a devastating impact on the city and province.
Santaco issued a statement of their own after yesterday’s meeting, saying that while they remain open to talks to address their demands, the strike would continue until 9 August, as originally planned.
However, local and provincial governments said they were deeply disappointed that Santaco’s statement contained certain amendments that were neither tabled nor agreed upon during yesterday’s talks with the City’s mayoral committee member for urban mobility Councillor Rob Quintas, the Western Cape minister of mobility Ricardo Mackenzie, the national minister of transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga and the leadership of Santaco.
‘Alongside the City of Cape Town, we put forward a proposal on Friday to alleviate the impact of impoundments on taxi operators, while we resolve the complex challenges around operating licences and other issues,’ said Mackenzie. ‘Unfortunately, Santaco’s additional demands are not legally implementable and would require longer-term engagements with national government and other role players.’
‘At this point, we are left with very few options if Santaco will not return to the table and resume the joint work of our Minibus Taxi Task Team.’
According to the joint statement, the terms of the offer were communicated both verbally and in writing and would be contingent upon agreement to restore taxi services and peace.
Among the demands reflected in Santaco’s statement are allowances for taxis to have priority in yellow and red lanes during rush hour, allowances for traffic obstruction, and a suspension of conditions pertaining to operating licenses.
‘It must be noted that there is no mechanism in law that allows for a suspension on the conditions of Operating Licenses, nor does the City have the authority to make amendments to the laws contained in the National Land Transport Act,’ said Councillor Rob Quintas.
WCG and CoCT stated that this deviation, together with the breach of the agreed-upon embargo on the contents of the negotiations until after the parties reconvened yesterday, raised serious concerns about the sincerity and commitment of Santaco to reach a resolution in good faith.
‘The associated violence, intimidation and destruction have terrorised communities and placed enormous pressure on essential services and law enforcement,’ they said.
‘People have been unable to get home to their families or to work, school, shops, clinics and other critical sites. This state of affairs is unacceptable and the consequences now are severe.’
‘Many government services, including health and social development, are having to close facilities and are unable to provide desperately needed services to communities.’
Meanwhile, transport operators Golden Arrow Bus Services and MyCiTi have kept running most of their scheduled services under incredibly volatile conditions and, where possible, have added fleet capacity to get people home. Golden Arrow Bus Services is now unable to operate within Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Philippi East, Langa and Mfuleni due to extreme vandalism of buses and threats to the safety of drivers and passengers.
‘We attempted to engage in a spirit of genuine good faith to address the concerns of the industry in a practical and constructive manner. The proposed measures of compromise sought to strike a balance between enforcing traffic regulations and ensuring the smooth operation of the public transportation system, which is vital for the mobility and livelihoods of countless residents.
‘The City remains committed to finding a mutually acceptable solution that serves the interests of our residents, the minibus taxi industry, and the overall well-being of our city. We call upon Santaco’s leadership to uphold the principles of transparency, integrity, and respectful engagement as we collectively strive to bring an end to the current impasse,’ concluded Councillor Rob Quintas.
WCG and CoCT expressed further disappointment that the Western Cape E-hailing Association (WCEA) has since joined the minibus-taxi stay-away and is demanding an unconditional moratorium on all further impoundments. This is an additional blow to commuters who would have made use of e-hailing services in the absence of minibus-taxis.
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Picture: JP Smith / Facebook