The taxi strike that has brought Cape Town to its knees is expected to endure at least another 48 hours.
This is because the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has applied for an urgent interdict against the impounding of taxis, and to prevent the City of Cape Town from impounding any further vehicles.
This process is expected to take at least 48 hours, so the taxi governing body has advised its members that regular taxi services would remain suspended until the legal process has reached its conclusion.
The strike by taxi drivers has wreaked havoc on the Western Cape economy, as thousands of workers have been unable to report for duty.
Business offices in the City of Cape Town have been ghost towns in the wake of the strike, and there has been death and destruction as a result of the impounding of vehicles, and ongoing strike of drivers.
Transport Minister Sindi Chikunga has reportedly flown to Cape Town to lend her voice to the negotiations, and President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the violence as a result of the strike.
But this is little succour for the throngs of commuters who rely on taxis to provide them with transport to get them to and from their places of work in order to provide for their families daily.
IOL