Siyavuya Mzantsi
PUPILS writing “mock” matric and other exams were left stranded when residents joined minibus taxi drivers in shutting down Vrygrond in a violent protest that closed Prince George Drive for five hours.
One pupil said protesting drivers had stopped the taxi she was travelling in and prevented it from proceeding to Muizenberg, so she had missed her Grade 10 maths exam.
The drivers stopped work in Vrygrond after two minibuses were impounded at a roadblock in the morning because they did not have operating permits.
Among other things, they demanded that the taxis be released, along with others impounded in May for not having operating permits.
A group of residents set tyres alight in Military Road, Vrygrond, and stoned police vehicles, damaging them.
Two traffic department vehicles were also damaged, said police spokesman Tembinkosi Kinana.
Soon afterwards members of the Public Order Policing Unit arrived and fired stun grenades and rubber bullets, putting the protesters to flight.
“Public transport vehicles are impounded where the driver is found to be without a valid operating permit or where the driver is operating in contravention of their operating permit,” the city’s executive director of safety and security, Richard Bowman, said.
Esethu Dlula, a Grade 10 pupil at Muizenberg High School, said she was worried that she could fail because she had missed her exam.
“September exams are as important as other exams. I was on my way to school when other taxi drivers stopped the taxi I was in.
“They said they will not operate until impounded taxis were released.”
Grade 12 pupil Chané Laguma, 18, and her sister Chelsea were late for their exams because protesters had blocked Military Road with burning tyres and rocks.
Their mother, Hazel, escorted them to Steenberg High School.
“I am supposed to be in class writing my preliminary exams, but because of what is happening here I was scared to go through,” Chané said.
“People said no one should go to work or school. That’s why many people were not able to make it to school.”
A resident and community leader, Given Ngejane, said: “We are going to be violent if the police keep on provoking us. This protest was organised by residents after taxis were impounded by traffic police this morning. We as residents feel it’s time we come out in support of the taxi drivers. We also get affected when they impound taxis.
“It is time we stand up and fight against this thing of impounding taxis. Enough is enough.”