Cape Town - The second day in office for new Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie turned out to be fruitful as it was announced that the planned “stay away” by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) would not proceed.
Mackenzie was sworn in on Monday at the provincial legislature during a critical time, as the taxi industry planned to strike on Wednesday.
Mackenzie and Premier Alan Winde met with Santaco leadership and other stakeholders on Tuesday to discuss their grievances, and the stay away was withdrawn.
“Following the meeting that was held between the executive of Santaco Western Cape and the provincial leadership, the Santaco executive committee has elected to call off the provincial stay away that was scheduled for Wednesday due to the progress made in the meeting. We hereby notify all operators, drivers and commuters that taxi operations will continue as usual. We thank you for your support and cooperation in striving towards a transformed transportation system,” said Santaco’s Elryno Saaiers.
Saaiers said among the agreements was to give a task team that will be established by Mackenzie time to tackle the initiatives that were discussed.
Mackenzie said: “The commitments made in the engagements indicate a show of good faith from all sides.
Through the task team, we will work together to address the challenges faced by the minibus taxi industry. The aim is to ensure that people get to work safely and in reliable transport. When a province is faced with an industrial action or demonstration it can affect the economy.”
Winde said Mackenzie stepped in as they were establishing a new mobility department, which will be fully operational on April 1.
“It is not just about averting this strike, which I am thrilled we have been able to achieve at a time when our economy is struggling amid stage 6 load shedding, it is also about improving public transport, making it an economic enabler to meet the growing needs of our growing population,” he said.
Meanwhile the Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) contracted learner transport scheme buses were able to transport pupils Khayelitsha and Mfuleni On Tuesday without disruptions after about three weeks of a taxi blockade.
Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) had prevented all scholar transports from operating on their route, and last Wednesday they issued a notice they would no longer intercept scholar transport with the exception of buses.
The WCED turned to the Western Cape High Court on Friday which ruled against the taxi association and ordered they stop the illegal blockade pending an interdict.
MEC David Maynier said while pupils were able to operate on Tuesday due to increased police presence along the affected routes, there was still high absenteeism in some schools.
“Unfortunately, the climate of fear and uncertainty created by the minibus taxi associations has led some parents to keep their children home from school, understandably fearful of the threats made over the past two weeks. Nearly 1 000 learners from the area who would normally travel on our contracted transport did not attend school today.
““We call on Codeta to issue a public statement confirming their undertaking before the Court not to threaten, intimidate, or prevent learner transport from operating,” said Maynier.
Codeta secretary Nceba Enge said: “Around 12pm on Friday papers from the high court were delivered at Codeta offices... we were expected to be in court at 2pm. We were able to make arrangements and proceeded to go.
“The matter was briefly heard and it was postponed for February 24 under the conditions that the contracted buses and other scholar transports should not be blocked from transporting learners.
Last week we issued a statement that scholar transport can proceed to transport children again, and made it clear that only buses will not be allowed to continue. This is because WCED failed to arrange a meeting with us, something that was long agreed upon last year.
However we are a disciplined association and decided to abide by the ruling of the court order to allow buses to freely operate.”
Cape Times