More than 3 000 taxi operators marched to the Western Cape provincial government demanding an end to vehicle impound by law enforcement on Thursday.
The protest which saw the two largest taxi bodies in the province, the Congress of Democratic Taxi Alliance (CODETA) and the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) unified in their demands, for the first time in years after bloody attacks on each other. Taxis brought traffic on the N2 to a halt and hundreds of drivers and owners marched through the Cape Town CBD.
A few minutes before the list of demands was handed to an official from Premier Alan Winde's office, the protesters refused to leave until Winde had accepted the memorandum.
Winde was not available, and instead a senior official was sent to accept the protesters' memorandum of demands.
CATA Spokesperson, Mandla Hermanus, said the province seemed to enforce its own regulations when impounding vehicles and used the action to recoup unpaid fines.
He alleged that some of the vehicles were impounded on the pretext that they had violated the province's decision to close the contested B97 route between Mbekweni in Paarl and Bellville.
The route remains closed since July 2021 after the war broke out between the two taxi associations over the right to operate the route.
"The traffic officials impound taxis on the N1 travelling to Worcester and Robertson instead of monitoring the Mbekweni route to see if there are any violations. They have turned the N1 a no-go area for taxi operators. This is wrong and unfair," said Hermanus.
Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi said it was unfair to expect the operators to pay an amount of R7500 to release a vehicle impounded for the first time and other additional unpaid fines.
" Some operators lose their vehicles if it's impounded four times. This is killing our industry and our livelihoods. We regard the action as an abuse" said Khanyi.
The list of demands submitted on Thursday included:
* a change in a by-law that authorises traffic officials to impound minibus taxis;
* outstanding warrants of arrest for a traffic offence be treated separately and not added to a decision to impound vehicles; not renew a driving licence, register a vehicle or obtain a roadworthy certificate.
This was a way of oppressing people who were trying to put bread on the table, said the organisations.
They also called on traffic officials to refrain from stopping the minibus taxis in the mornings.
Winde was given seven days to respond to the demands.
However, Hermanus said the taxi bodies were also considering challenging the actions by the traffic officials in court.
"Tomorrow we are meeting with our lawyers. to explore how we can take this fight further," he told the protesters.
Earlier Winde and MEC for Transport Daylin Mitchell condemned the torching of Golden Arrow buses in Nyanga, Philippi East and Kraaifontein.
At least four passengers were injured, according to Golden Arrow Bus Services.
In a statement Winde said "the senseless acts" put jobs and lives at risk.
“This violence and disruption impacts our most vulnerable communities and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
"I think of the many people who are unable to get to work and put food on the table, as we face the second pandemic of joblessness. I also think of the learners who are unable to get to school. We cannot accept these violent acts and I call on the SAPS to ensure that law is upheld and that our residents are kept safe. All those responsible for this violence must be arrested and prosecuted,” said Winde.
The taxi organisations said operations would resume tomorrow.