Fears that the #MeteredTaxi protest could cause havoc on the roads

THE Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) together with police are this monitoring roads amid threats by metered taxi drivers to strike.

JMPD spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said the metered taxi people approached JMPD yesterday for permission to march, however permission was not granted.

“If they go ahead, it will be an illegal strike - we have concerns that it will still go ahead and that they will block roads.

“We have an extra 160 officers monitoring the airport highway and areas in Midrand,” she said.

She added that they would remain on high alert throughout the day.

Yesterday, the Gauteng Metered Taxi Concerned Operators (GMTCO) notified the Gautrain Management Agency Head Office, that it would be marching to the company’s offices on this morning over tensions with Ubers. Metered-taxi drivers are up -in-arms over the fact that Uber pricing is out of their market and that they will be put out of business.

Meanwhile OR Tambo International Airport management said that it was aware of unconfirmed reports of the possible protest this morning and that could disrupt access to and from the airport.

The management advised passengers to allow for delays and longer travelling time to the airport.

"Airport management understands that some of the protesters will gather in the vicinity of OR Tambo International Airport and other identified venues, and by 9am proceed to the Gautrain Management Agency Head Office in Midrand," said Leigh Gunkel-Keuler, spokesperson of OR Tambo International Airport.

The GMTCO was expected to arrive in Midrand between 10am and 11am to hand a memorandum of demands to the chief executive of Gautrain.

“Giving the potential of this taxi operators strike, and as part of our airport operations contingency planning, we remain in close contact with the metro authorities and the South African Police Service in order to keep the routes into and out of the airport open. Our concern remains the overall safety of all our passengers arriving and departing from the airport,” said Gunkel-Keuler.

“However, protest action of this nature is not entirely predictable and passengers scheduled to depart from the airport on Thursday should make every effort to give themselves more time to get to the airport,” she said.

Airport management also advised passengers travelling this morning to follow news updates on the protest action to ensure that they are aware of potential delays.

"Where possible, passengers heading for the airport should use public transport such as buses and the Gautrain," Gunkel-Keuler added.

Yesterday two Uber drivers in Pretoria were allegedly attacked by metered-taxi drivers while an Uber vehicle was set alight.

GMTCO was not available for comment.