The B97 minibus taxi route between Mbekweni in Paarl and Bellville is set to open soon as PATA, CODETA, and CATA have reached an agreement.
The minibus taxi route had to close for almost a year due to a number of violent incidents that took place on the affected routes as a result of tensions between conflicting taxi associations, the local Paarl Alliance Taxi Association (PATA), which is affiliated with CODETA, and CATA Boland both who claim rights to run the B97 route.
In that year, the Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Daylin Mitchell had to revoke his powers based on terms of section 91 of the National Land Transport Act (Act no.5 of 2009).
Also read: The City of Cape Town engages with disgruntled taxi associations
Fast forward to now and Minister of Mobility, Daylin Mitchel welcomed the agreement between the mini taxi route associations, taking to social media to say the taxi operations were a huge highlight of the arbitration award process last year in November which ruled that CATA Boland Taxi Association and the Paarl Alliance Taxi Association affiliated to the CODETA region had legal rights to trade on route B97.
Furthermore, in terms of the agreement, operating licences will be apportioned on an equal basis (50/50) between the two associations commensurate to the demand for services as shown in the transportation plans for the area further added.
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Picture: Cape town Etc {Gallery}