Cape Town - The taxi strike that wreaked havoc across Cape Town on Monday has been called off but Golden Arrow Bus Services said its services would still be affected after its buses were attacked.
The strike included members of the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta), Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and the Retreat Taxi Association and is believed to be due to taxi impoundments, new taxi laws and the upcoming provincial South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) elections. The taxi organisations have confirmed that the strike has been called off.
Golden Arrow spokeswoman Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said unconfirmed reports suggest about 50 drivers and passengers were injured during attacks before lunchtime. No life-threatening injuries were reported.
At least one of its buses was gutted when it was set alight in Delft. By noon, more than 150 bus windows were reported to be shattered by stones.
"From this afternoon we're going to be operating only limited services because the situation out there is so chaotic," said Dyke-Beyer.
"We are going to try our best but we cannot guarantee services. There's going to be significant delays."
Currently, Golden Arrow can only operate from the city centre to Claremont.
"Anywhere past Claremont - Wynberg, Retreat - is very volatile," Dyke-Beyer said.
"We can't go directly into Nyanga, Delft and Khayelitsha."
MyCiTi bus was set alight. Picture: City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town earlier reported one of its MyCiti buses was set alight on the N2 highway, leaving the vehicle almost completely burnt out and causing traffic delays for hours.
Western Cape police said members of its public order policing unit were deployed to Du Noon, near Milnerton, where buses and police officers came under attack.
“Members took action using rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the crowd,” said police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk.
Protestors also burned tyres along the N1 highway at Joostenberg Vlakte and Bloekombos.
“It was removed by SAPS members, roads are opened,” said Van Wyk.
SAPS were also deployed along the N2 at the Borchards Quarry turn-off near Nyanga where buses were also stoned.
At Fisantekraal, traffic and police officers were stoned on the Potsdam and Wellington roads.
The City of Cape Town said that the following roads were still affected (all other roads reopened): the N2 incoming diverted onto Spine Road – closed at the R300, and the N7 south-bound closed at Potsdam Road.
"Officers will continue to monitor these areas to ensure the safety of all road users."