Major E Cape routes closed due to taxi protests

Striking Eastern Cape taxi operators brought parts of the province to a standstill on Thursday.

Affected regions included Amathole, OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo. Pictures and video clips on social media showed traffic backed up in major routes such as the N2 and R61.

Trucks were used to blockade some of the busy routes.

On Wednesday, a recording warning commuters about the protest was circulated.

The provincial government took flak for failing to act swiftly to avert the disruptions.

“Once again your dept has failed people of this province,” commented a Facebook user.

“Santaco distributed VN & letters izolo [yesterday] warning passengers about the blockade. The [transport] dept just decided to sit back and watch. You should have notified police to dispatch and monitor some of the roads mentioned,” the post reads.

The provincial transport department said law enforcement were dispatched to the various incidents. There were reports that grievances included unpaid scholar transport invoices. Spokesperson Unathi Binqose said money was available to pay the operators.

“The only outstanding payments are those found to be non-complaint,” Binqose said.

He said the door was still open for dissatisfied operators.

SA National Taxi Association (Santaco) deputy chair Sandile Sifolo confirmed the protest emanated from scholar transport issues. “We are also unhappy about the tender,” he said. “Other provinces get fiveyear contracts, ours is normally only three years. We appeal to the government to addresses our concerns.”

Sifolo said they had suspended the strike on Thursday as Santaco leadership had engagements with the provincial government.

Premier Oscar Mabuyane condemned “the illegal and disruptive conduct by some public taxi operators who barricaded and effected road closures in parts of the province”.

“He has directed the department of transport to engage with the taxi industry in the province towards resolving outstanding issues, as part of government’s ongoing dialogue and engagement with the sector,” his spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, said. “He has appealed to the taxi industry to use conventional methods of resolving disputes.”

Mabuyane appealed to Santaco to open up all roads. “The MEC is preparing to convene a meeting with the sector.”

He apologised to travellers affected by the road closures.

“The premier condemns the kidnapping of truck drivers and usage of trucks to block roads,” government Rantjie said.’“he s constitutional has reiterated duty to uphold and enforce the rule of law in the province.”

Santaco B distanced itself from the protest. Provincial coordinator Gabs Ntshala said they were unaware of reasons for the shutdown. “Neither were we part of the meeting that took such a decision, nor were we part of the decision,” Ntshala said. “We therefore call upon our constituency and members to continue with business as usual.”

On Thursday Binqose said all roads had been reopened.

“We call on protesters, whether taxi operators or whoever else may wish to protest, to rather come to a negotiating table than go for public roads because by doing so they are affecting everyone, including those who have absolutely nothing to do with their protest actions,” Binqose said.