Pretoria - Mamelodi commuters can breathe a sigh of relief after taxi drivers announced they will be operating normally on Friday.
Taxi operators on Thursday brought the township to a standstill when they staged a stayaway after their taxis were impounded, leaving thousands of commuters stranded.
“We had a meeting with the Department of Community Safety and they have agreed to return our taxis,” said Stemer Monageng, an executive member of Mamelodi Long Distance Taxi Association (Maldta).
About 50 taxis were impounded between Monday and Wednesday after Operation Fiela was introduced in the township following the eruption of violence last week.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, said the taxis impounded had expired, invalid or no vehicle licence discs and some drivers were driving without valid driving licences.
“A number of taxis were on the road illegally with fraudulent operating licences. Also, police had confiscated two firearms and in one instance found drugs in a taxi,” Vadi said.
Monangeng said: “We were not fighting with anyone, but we did not appreciate the remarks that were made by the premier.”
Premier David Makhura said at the weekend that the government and people of Mamelodi would not be held to ransom by violent taxi drivers.
“Taxi operators are open to working with the government. We do not want to make it seem like we are unruly, but we cannot be treated like criminals.
“The way they brought in Operation Fiela and took our taxis was not right,” Monangeng added.
He said they wanted their taxis returned and that Operation Fiela be stopped. “The cars have valid documents, the drivers have licences and the cars are roadworthy. When they give our drivers tickets, they write ‘taxi conflict’. We don’t know what kind of charge that is,” he said.
Taxi operators staged a series of violent protests last week when AutoPax buses took over some of the routes which were previously run by Putco. Five people were left injured when gunmen opened fire on a Putco bus.
Some AutoPax buses were also pelted with stones.
Commuters were seen standing at empty taxi ranks and on roadsides, flagging down cars for transport to work, while some went home.
An irritated Tshepo Nzimande, said the situation was compounded by the lack of notification beforehand. “We would have made plans for alternative plans like using buses or trains but getting here and not finding any taxis means I have to go home now.”
Nzimande feels taxi owners disregard the needs of commuters.
Pretoria News