KZN taxis in 5c toll plaza protest

A general view shows taxis parked at the Bara taxi bay in Soweto August 8, 2007. Armed with pistols and hair-trigger tempers, South Africa's minibus taxi drivers are the undisputed kings of road rage, swerving through traffic and ignoring red lights as nervous motorists get out of the way. To match feature SAFRICA-TAXIS/ REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA)

A general view shows taxis parked at the Bara taxi bay in Soweto August 8, 2007. Armed with pistols and hair-trigger tempers, South Africa's minibus taxi drivers are the undisputed kings of road rage, swerving through traffic and ignoring red lights as nervous motorists get out of the way. To match feature SAFRICA-TAXIS/ REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA)

Published Jul 25, 2012

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Toll cashiers near Ladysmith could find themselves counting five-cent coins from every minibus taxi passing through the plaza today.

This would form part of a protest by the KwaZulu-Natal taxi industry against the government’s taxi recapitalisation programme.

KwaZulu-Natal Transport Alliance chairman Eugene Hadebe said the five-cent protest would be held at the Tugela toll plaza on the N3 near Ladysmith.

Taxi owners would also march on KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize’s office to hand over a memorandum of grievances.

They say they are also dissatisfied with the provincial transport department’s administration and issuing of operating licences.

Another grievance is the government’s decision to recognise the SA National Taxi Council as the sole representative of the taxi industry.

Earlier on Tuesday, KwaZulu-Natal transport spokesman Kwanele Ncalane said the provincial government had decided to approach the national government in an attempt to get it to delay the taxi recapitalisation programme in the province. He said this had been agreed at a meeting between the provincial department and the council.

It was not immediately clear how commuters would be affected. Hadebe urged drivers to take commuters to work before joining the march in Pietermaritzburg. – Sapa

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