There is “light at the end of the tunnel” in the taxi dispute in the Western Cape.
South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) deputy chairperson Nazeem Abdurahman has praised the ANC’s intervention, specifically that of MPP Cameron Dugmore, and the assistance of Transport MEC Donald Grant for creating an environment to get the warring parties “to talk to each other again”.
Santaco has confirmed that the provincial and regional elections scheduled to start today have been delayed. The Minibus Taxi Industry Task Team (MTITT), comprising largely a breakaway group of suspended Santaco members, went on strike last week Monday because of its demand for a provincial elective conference ahead of the elections.
Abdurahman said yesterday: “The national conference is no longer going ahead after intervention by the ANC, the Minibus Taxi Task Team (MTTT), Santaco Western Cape and Santaco national. We had a meeting on Friday and the resolution of the meeting was because of the constitutional challenge (time constraints) we won’t be able to proceed with the elections on Tuesday.
“We just received a letter now that was copied to all regions. Within seven days of this letter the dates for the conference with all the relevant processes that must be complied with will be communicated to all of the regions.
“There were a lot of positives to come out of Friday's conference due to the ANC’s intervention and the MEC’s support for the structure to get us to work together towards one house.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel. We will have continuing talks to ensure that we have proper, democratic and fair elections going forward.”
Abdurahman reiterated that Santaco wasn’t behind last week’s strike and that the commuter has to be respected and valued.
“It wasn’t our intention to strike. It was the task team and breakaway group of Santaco who orchestrated the strike. People who wanted to display their disagreement in the open by suspending services, to us that is not correct.
“But we are talking to each other now. Our priority is the people who are feeding our mouths, the commuter, because we are dependent on them as our clients."
@CapeTimesSA