The taxi industry in Ekurhuleni, under the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco), is scheduled to meet the province’s Roads and Transport Department on Friday.

The industry is on strike due to the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI) impounding over 16 vehicles for various offences, including illegal operations and vehicle unroadworthiness.

According to the department, the GTI continues to work in restoring law and order on the province’s public roads, and the inspectorate’s enforcement operations, including vehicle impoundment, are conducted in line with the National Land Transport Act.

Graham Fritz, Santaco’s Gauteng secretary, said the taxi industry, under the banner of Santaco, will meet with the Gauteng Roads and Transport Department to establish and come to an amicable solution to the challenges at hand.

“Please be patient with us while we are engaging in talks with all the parties concerned,” he said.

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has notified commuters that it has suspended its Harambee bus service operations until further notice.

“The suspension of the bus service is informed by the currently ongoing taxi industry strike, which is expected to affect all public transport provisions in various parts of the city,” the municipality explained.

It advised commuters to find alternative transport, while all stakeholders work to speedily find a lasting solution to the impasse.

Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has stated that the department will not allow lawlessness, illegal operations, and unroadworthy vehicles to put commuters’ lives at risk.

“Our law enforcement teams are on the ground to ensure peace, enforce compliance, and lawful operations at all times,” she said.

Diale-Tlabela continued: “Law enforcement has been deployed in areas where illegal practices have been reported.

“Gauteng residents deserve a safe, reliable, and lawful transport system. We are committed to ensuring that every commuter can travel without any form of fear or intimidation.”

In addition, she warned that any form of bullying or coercion on provincial roads will be unacceptable, and officers are actively intervening to protect the public and uphold peace, as well as strongly condemning reports of alleged intimidation or coercion of commuters and private vehicle owners by other public transport operators.

Diale-Tlabela said commuters’ constitutional right to choose their preferred mode of transport is fully protected.

The SA Taxi Drivers Workers Union (Satdwu) has spoken out against what it described as the recent surge in taxi impoundments, as well as violent incidents between e-hailing and minibus taxi drivers in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape.

The union said such actions not only threaten the livelihoods of taxi drivers and operators but also compromise the safety and well-being of passengers.

The impoundment of taxis and violent clashes between drivers can have devastating consequences for those who depend on the industry for their livelihood.

Satdwu urged authorities to consider the human impact of their actions and work towards finding solutions that balance regulation with the needs of industry stakeholders.

It also advocates for the formal registration of taxi businesses with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission and the SA Revenue Service to ensuring compliance with tax and labour laws.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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