Cape Town taxi strike: Taxis impounded after earlier blockages around Cape Town International Airport

Taxis blockading the freeway to Cape Town International Airport have been removed by law enforcement. Picture: David Ritchie

Taxis blockading the freeway to Cape Town International Airport have been removed by law enforcement. Picture: David Ritchie

Published Aug 7, 2023

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Taxis are being impounded after they blocked roads around Cape Town International Airport.

This is according to a tweet by TrafficSA.

The blockage caused a road closure at Airport approach Road from the N2 inbound and the N2 outbound earlier on Monday.

At around 5.30am, approximately 30 taxis blocked the N2 inbound at Borcherds Quarry and enforcement services started making arrests shortly after.

Cape Town police are investigating incidents of public violence after buses and cars were torched, as well as hijackings, stoning of vehicles and a shooting.

Police have confirmed one death that occurred near the Cape Town International Airport where assailants were pelting motorists with stones.

The SAPS said it will remain on high alert and deployed in their numbers to ensure the safety of the public, and to maintain law and order.

Crisis talks between South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), the City of Cape Town, Western Cape and national government broke down on Sunday night, killing any hope of halting the Western Cape’s crippling taxi strike.

The taxi union announced a seven-day taxi strike effective from last Thursday. The industry had been complaining about the impoundments under the new by-law, which resulted in 6,000 taxis impounded in the last six months.

“It is with great disappointment that we must announce that the talks between government and the Santaco leadership that took place in an attempt to resolve the cause for the taxi stayaway, was suspended,” Santaco Western Cape said in a statement released on Sunday night.

“With this said, we can confirm that the stayaway will continue until Wednesday, August 9, as initially announced,” the union said.

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