Select Committee chairperson calls on SANTACO to intervene meaningfully in the strife between taxi owners and City of Cape Town
4 August 2023
The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, Mr Kenneth Mmoiemang, has called on the national leadership of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) to meaningfully intervene in the strife between the taxi industry and the City of Cape Town.
Mr Mmoiemang said the greatest impact was on poor people who have no alternative form of transport and have to commute long distances to and from work. He said: “We call on the leaders from all sides to show leadership and not subject our people to the kind of torture witnessed yesterday. People had to walk long distances with no form of help or transportation.”
He added: “Issues are understandable but there are times when leaders need to be above and make unpopular concessions. It cannot be an approach that says, ‘we will show you’ or ‘we are untouchable’.”
Thousands of Cape Town residents who rely on public transport, including workers and school children, walked long and gruelling distances from their places of work to their homes. The taxi drivers’ work stoppage followed a sudden announcement that taxi leaders were withdrawing from negotiations with the City of Cape Town after talks allegedly collapsed. SANTACO has announced that it will return to service on Thursday, 10 August.
Mr Mmoiemang called on the SANTACO to review its stance, as the people who suffer are ordinary South Africans. He also urged the intervention of the national leadership to be expedited.
He said: “We are also calling on employers to be considerate and not risk lives of employees and that those who are able to work from home should be encouraged to do so. In the end we all have a task to grow our economy for the benefit of all South Africans.”
He cautioned the people against committing acts of vandalism, including burning busses that have nothing to do with the taxi industry’s tussles with the City.
Issued by Sibongile Maputi, Media Officer, Parliament, 4 August 2023
