Taxi drivers and owners staged an impromptu protest in Pretoria on Friday against a police demand that they park for less than five minutes at a taxi rank.
Tshwane metro spokeswoman Alta Fourie said the stand-off between the drivers and the police on Prinsloo Street was apparently as a result of police separating two groups of fighting taxi drivers.
However, Menlyn Taxi Association finance committee member Zondani Mthimunye said armed police had simply arrived in the morning and ordered taxis to move after five minutes.
“We are parked legally. This is our rank and the licence says nothing about how long we can park here. We have offices and associations. Why don't they approach us first before harassing us?” he asked.
He said no-one had informed the association that the rules of its rank had changed and said it would be unprofitable for taxis to leave the rank empty.
Fourie said there were no arrests. The protesters had dispersed by mid-morning. – Sapa