Durban - It was business as usual as the taxi drivers who were expected to take part in a massive march did not switch off their engines on Wednesday.
Members of Qina Mshayeli, an organisation for taxi drivers and public transport service providers, had gathered at King Dinuzulu Park when they were stopped in their tracks by taxi owners operating in central Durban and Chesterville, who said no drivers would down tools and march.
The representative of the taxi owners, who declined to be named, said the march involved them, their taxis and their drivers, but they were not told about the march by the South African National Taxi Association Council, and only saw posters about it.
When the memorandum was compiled, they wanted to be a part of it.
President of Qina Mshayeli, Clement Doncabe, was disappointed the march did not take place. He said it had been about:
* Petrol hikes.
* Taxi subsidies.
* Public drivers’ permits.
* Taxi drivers who transport children not getting government funding.
* The killing of taxi owners, drivers and passengers.
* The loss of driving licences through the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences point system.
* Go Durban confusion.
He said the body had alerted all the necessary associations about the march.
“According to the taxi operators, none of the taxi branches contacted them through their regions and associations, which made them say no to the march,” he said. “However, that’s not an excuse to disturb someone else’s right.”
He said as Qina Mshayeli, they communicated well with those in leadership.
Thami Ngidi, the premier’s spokesperson, said they were unaware of the memorandum, but would engage with the taxi organisation.