Cape Town - Elections for leadership in the city’s highly volatile and lucrative taxi industry started on Tuesday after intervention from the provincial government which went to court to ensure no violence took place.
Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant said the High Court matter was struck from the roll after the parties came to an agreement.
Disgruntled taxi bosses, in replying papers, have indicated that “the pre-elective conference is no longer a dispute between their task team and the leadership of the South African National Taxi Association (Santaco)”.
Grant said this had previously been the bone of contention fuelling the internal dispute. “Following protracted conflict and violent withdrawal of services within the minibus taxi industry, I decided to approach the Western Cape High Court to ensure that the upcoming regional and provincial Santaco leadership elections proce- eded peacefully and without unlawful interference.
“I approached the court in the interests of the thousands of commuters who rely on minibus taxis as their mode of transport,” Grant said.
He said taxi bosses indicated that despite several contentious issues regarding a pre-elective conference, elections will still go ahead.
“The industry is preparing to participate in the forthcoming elections and there is no question of either the task team or the industry disrupting or interfering with the process,” Grant said.
The provincial election is scheduled to take place from October 15-17.