Taxi strike thuggery kills the economy

18 November 2020

This morning's taxi strike ahead of the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) march in Pretoria is nothing but thuggery aimed to hold the economy of Gauteng hostage to the benefit of narrow interests. Taxi drivers blocked major highways and main roads in Gauteng and are resorting to violence to prevent motorists going to work and students going to school.

Although the NTA has the right to strike and protest, it also have the responsibility to do so orderly. They have the responsibility to adhere to the legal conditions of their protest march and respect the rights of other citizens.

Preventing students from getting to their exams on time endangers the future of this students and prevents them from accessing economic opportunities in our country and denies them their right to education.

The NTA is literally cutting South Africa's nose to spite its face.

The thuggery of the NTA is condemned in the strongest terms by the DA in Gauteng.

I call on MEC Jacob Mamabolo to take strong action against the NTA, its affiliates and drivers for this morning's illegal actions. This is not how responsible transport operators should act and Mamabolo needs to sanction them for their actions or else he is complicit in their actions.

We await his response with bated breath.

Issued byFred Nel,DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Roads and Transport, 18 November 2020