TRANSPORT SHUTDOWN
Western Cape taxi strike marked by ‘cowardly attacks’ on buses as commuters left stranded
The strike called by Santaco left thousands of commuters stranded on Monday – the first of two days of action over several issues, including impounding of vehicles and the cancellation of the Blue Dot taxi pilot project. While incidents of violence took place in city areas that included Khayelitsha, the impact of the strike was not felt throughout the province.
Western Cape Transport and law enforcement authorities were on high alert on Monday as fire engulfed buses during the start of a two-day strike by the provincial structures of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco).
The strike, according to Santaco, is a reaction to the ending of the Blue Dot taxi pilot project, as well as “the impoundment of our vehicles day by day, the heavy traffic fines and the issues of the Blue Dot”, according to Santaco spokesperson Mandla Hermanus.
The Blue Dot project was endorsed by the provincial government in September 2020 and since 15 May 2021 close to 800 minibus taxis across the Western Cape have participated. However, it was terminated at the end of this month, leaving Santaco fuming.
Read in Daily Maverick: “Buses set alight and stoned, many Western Cape commuters stranded as taxi council embarks on strike (Updated)”
Buses attacked and hijacked
On Monday morning, the SAPS, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement and the Metro Police were monitoring areas across the city. Mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said there has been fairly limited impact city-wide, other than in Khayelitsha where Pama, Mongezi, Steve Biko and Japtha K Masemola roads have been affected. “Cowardly attacks were launched on some public transport vehicles earlier this morning in Khayelitsha when a Golden Arrow bus and a MyCiTi bus were burnt out.”
Commuters stranded at Borcherds Quarry near Nyanga on Monday morning. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
Another Golden Arrow bus had been hijacked, Smith said, but undercover Law Enforcement officers responded quickly, intercepted the bus and arrested the hijacker. It is alleged that during this attack shots were fired at the front wheels of the bus. Panic-stricken passengers then broke the rear window and during the scramble to get out a female passenger was injured. There were also unconfirmed reports of buses and private vehicles being stoned.
“In line with the precedent set in Nyanga where the City and SAPS confirmed they will not tolerate taxi violence and the destruction of public transport vehicles, the City will intensify its operations in Khayelitsha over the next days, which will lead to the impoundment of a significant number of taxis,” Smith added.
Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi from the SAPS Western Cape Media Centre said “sporadic incidents of violence in Khayelitsha” were under investigation.
Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer confirmed the incidents: “We are trying to operate as full as possible. We did have an incident just before 6am in Khayelitsha in which a bus was set alight. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.”
In Atlantis, along the West Coast, the strike has had little impact, with the majority of commuters using the MyCiTi bus service. Daily Maverick saw Toyota Avanza taxis operating as usual in the area.
MyCiTi bus set alight in Khayelitsha. City of Cape traffic spokesperson Kevin Jacobs says Traffic Officers are attending to incidents of civil unrest in the Khayelitsha Area
The routes effected include, Pama road, Mongezi road , Steve Biko road and Japhta K Masemola roads #Taxis pic.twitter.com/bxTwAOjX4r
— Veve (@LudidiVelani) November 21, 2022
Impact on education
The strike coincides with pupils, including matriculants, writing exams. The provincial education department said last week that two high-enrolment subjects – life science and geography – would be written on Monday and Tuesday, along with other smaller subjects. In total, 32,868 candidates are due to write exams on Monday, and 27,154 on Tuesday, the department said.
A burnt-out Golden Arrow bus on Pama Road in Khayelitsha on the first day of the taxi strike on Monday. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
Kerry Mauchline, spokesperson for education MEC David Maynier, said that in preparation for the strike the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) communicated to candidates and exam centres early on. It confirmed that matriculants who were unable to get to their examination centres would be allowed to report to the nearest examination centre.
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“The taxi strike has had a negative impact on our schools, but initial indications suggest there has not been widespread disruption of matric exams. We do have some candidates writing at centres where they are not registered, and they have all been assisted by our staff to write the exams,” Mauchline said.
Education lobby group Equal Education said Grade 10 and 11 pupils who were unable to get to school should contact them on WhatsApp at 021 361 0127 or the Equal Education Law Centre at 0800 110 752 (toll-free).
Grade 10 and grade 11 learners who are unable to get to school and are therefore told no alternative arrangements can be made for their exams can reach out to Equal Education via WhatsApp at 0213610127 OR to @EElawcentre at 0800110752 (tollfree).
— Equal Education (@equal_education) November 21, 2022
Daily Maverick has asked Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula’s office if he was in contact with Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga about the strike. Their response will be added once it has been received.
Impact on workers
Cosatu’s provincial secretary, Malvern de Bruyn, confirmed that thousands of workers have been left stranded as a result of the two-day strike. The union is monitoring the situation and has called on companies to be sympathetic towards workers who are struggling to get to work. “We are calling on the transport MEC to engage with Santaco to break the impasse. The two must come to the table, negotiate, debate and find an amicable solution,” he said.
Law enforcement officers in Khayelitsha during the taxi industry stayaway. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
A MyCiTi bus burns in Khayelitsha on Monday. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
Daily Maverick has seen several messages and videos about call centre workers being told to bring blankets and other necessities to work so they can sleep there.
Eskom has also suspended services to parts of the province affected by the taxi strike since “it poses a significant threat to the safety of Eskom staff travelling in these areas”.
“Unfortunately, this means that there will be a significant delay in electricity restoration efforts and customers may experience prolonged durations without electricity,” it said on Monday. Affected areas include Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Philippi and Wallacedene in the Cape Metropole and Jacobsbaai, Laingville, Saldanha and Vredenburg on the West Coast. DM
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