Cape Town - As the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) is expected to go ahead with its stay away across the Western Cape on Wednesday, the City of Cape Town’s enforcement agencies are on high alert.
Mayoral committee member for safety and security, Alderman JP Smith, said the City of Cape Town had rolled out a fully integrated operation plan in support of the South African Police Services (SAPS) with a full deployment across the metropole.
Last week, Santaco in the Western Cape announced the provincial stay away.
“Reasons given for the intended strike action include dissatisfaction over increased fines and the continuous action of impoundments of minibus taxis.
“It must be noted that such enforcement action is derived from legislation passed from national government more than a decade back and is nothing new.
“The City will continue enforcing such legislation in an effort to protect passengers and fellow road users.
“With a concerted effort to protect related infrastructure and the safety of all citizens, maximum resources have been deployed over this period.
“Required budget allowances have been authorised to bring additional staff on board in an overtime capacity, with a heavily armed presence at each of the Public Transport Interchanges (PTI), including Nyanga, Bellville, Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Philippi East, Wynberg, Cape Town and Kraaifontein,” Smith said.
He said uncover units would be monitoring strategic units with specially formulated response teams activated per area.
Joint Operation Centres (JOC) will be set up in areas and coordinated from the main JOC in Goodwood.
Towing services will also be deployed by the Traffic department, and any attempt to blockade or obstruct any road or thoroughfare will result in the immediate impoundment and arrest of perpetrators, Smith said.
“All highways will be monitored by members of the Freeway Management System, with additional sources of CCTV patched into the JOC. Drone operations will be active, monitoring suspicious behaviour around any of the strategic areas.
“A full contingent of members from both SSIU and SSIMS have been deployed into each of the areas and will form an investigative and information-gathering approach.
“Any incidents or acts of public violence that occur will result in criminal dockets being registered and a prosecution sought. These will be compiled and actioned directly by the investigative resource within the directorate,” Smith said.
While he goes further, stating Santaco may reserve its Constitutional right to embark on a strike, such protest may not be done at the cost of infringing on the rights of others.
Smith said it is the responsibility of the organisers to ensure full control and order over any protest action and to ensure the nature of their action is peaceful.
He also warned enforcement agencies would not hold back should violence or intimidation take place.
“Should any incidents of violence or intimidation occur during this period, the City will immediately roll out a harsh enforcement plan, as was previously seen both in Nyanga and Hout Bay, with focused enforcement and impoundments on members of the PTI.
“Further to this, the City will seek a civil claim for any resulting damages, along with criminal charges against the organisers of the proposed protest action, the leadership of Santaco and its members responsible,” Smith added.
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