Durban - Durban commuters were left stranded on Wednesday morning after a taxi strike swept across the city.
A taxi was stopped in Greyville and the occupants forced out.
And the Daily News received a number of reports that taxis operating near City View shopping centre, the Durban University of Technology campus and Julius Nyerere (Warwick) Avenue - in the city centre - were also stopped.
Metro police spokesman, Superintendent Sibonelo Mchunu, confirmed that police, too, had received several similar reports.
“There are a group of people, claiming to be taxi drivers or owners, who are going around the city, pulling people from taxis and buses,” Mchunu said. “We are responding but they are moving around so as to avoid us.”
The reason for Wednesday’s action was unclear and Mchunu was not sure what the strikers were seeking. But a post on Facebook said taxi associations were opposed to the impounding of taxis for not having permits even though they had an agreement with the authorities that this would not happen as permits were being delayed by the transport licensing board.
eThekwini Municipality spokesman, Thulani Mbatha, said the city was aware that members of various taxi associations had embarked on strike action.
“The city immediately deployed metro police officers to intervene after reports that the safety of commuters was being compromised. Law enforcement authorities will continue to monitor the situation,” he said.
About 80 protesting taxi drivers and conductors blockaded the N2 and R102, at the Tugela Bridge on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast on Tuesday.
Apparently taxi associations were angry that their vehicles had been impounded, and over delays in the issuing of permits.
The KZN MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, condemned Tuesday’s action and said there were no grievances that warranted disruptions of traffic - and therefore citizens and economic activity - on national, provincial and local roads.
It caused “unnecessary mayhem”, he said. The MEC has since assigned a team from the Department of Transport’s Provincial Regulatory Entity and the Department of Community Safety and Liaison to address the matter.
Daily News