Cape Town - The Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) says it will prepare a notice of intention and final regulations to close affected ranks and routes and to suspend operating licences in the event of further taxi violence.
Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela said no minibus taxi services would be allowed on closed routes, and vehicles of offending operators would be impounded and the holder of the licence criminally prosecuted.
Madikizela with leaders of various taxi associations were unpacking resolutions adopted during a series of engagements with an intention to end taxi violence and killings across the province, particularly on route B97 between Mbekweni in Paarl and Bellville.
During a briefing at Tribunal Hall in Athlone, Madikizela said there had been more than 60 senseless killings of taxi operators, drivers and passengers this year.
He said his department had been working tirelessly with the police from the Winelands and Tygerberg clusters, the City of Cape Town and Drakenstein to end violence.
“The police are making good progress with investigations into these cases and others, with 106 arrests over the last three years and 54 cases currently on the court rolls,” he said.
Madikizela said he was unhappy with the conflict between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) – Boland and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta)-aligned Paarl Alliance Taxi Association over route B97 and recent reports of taxis being hijacked and torched.
“The DTPW will establish an independent commission of inquiry to investigate, hear and review the matter regarding the registration of route B97 and the historical operating licence processes affecting that and other affected routes.
“The DTPW, in partnership with the municipalities involved, will impose a moratorium on all new applications for additional authority/transfers on route B97 while the inquiry is under way,” he said.
Madikizela and the taxi leadership agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Cata, Boland Taxi Association and Paarl Alliance Taxi Association which would be implemented while the inquiry is under way.
Another resolution included the forming of a steering committee comprising five representatives from Cata and Codeta, one representative from the municipality, and one each from the Office of the Registrar and the provincial regulatory entity would be established to oversee the implementation of the MOU and those resolutions.
SA National Taxi Council provincial spokesperson Gershon Geyer said they supported the resolutions adopted.
However, he said he hoped that closure of ranks and routes would not happen.
“We hope the resolutions will bring peace and stability in the taxi industry in the Western Cape, and we appeal to the taxi associations and the affected affiliates to give their full co-operation to the steering committee that will be formed to implement the MOU that will be signed by the parties,” Geyer said.
Cata secretary Mandla Hermanus said whatever measures were put in place must be aimed at protecting both commuters and those given the right to operate a particular route.
Cape Argus