MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Western Cape Transport and Public Works Minister, Bonginkosi Madikizela visited Mossel Bay on Wednesday, 9 September, in an attempt to end conflict between taxi associations.
Madikizela held meetings with taxi owners and taxi leaders at the Mossel Bay council chambers.
These included separate meetings with the leadership of the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Associations (CATA) and Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta).
Taxi associations affiliated to the two mother bodies have been involved in tit-for-tat attacks and hits on rivals as they fight for control over taxi routes and ranks throughout the Western Cape.
During his visit, Madikizela told the Mossel Bay Advertiser there had been 56 taxi-related murders and 32 attempted murders between 1 January and 17 August 2020.
Warning
Madikizela warned both taxi associations of the possible closure of taxi ranks and routes if the violence and shooting incidents did not stop immediately.
"I called these meetings with Codeta and CATA, not just to sternly address the leadership about the senseless murders and attempted murders."
In return CATA and Codeta leaders expressed their concerns and complaints along with their own proposals towards the resolution of specific disputes.
Madikizela said he and his officials were able to extract a number of common threads that had been used to craft a set of resolutions that were sent to both parties and to affected municipalities for their inputs. The draft resolutions included a number of non-negotiables which he tabled at the start of each of the two meetings.
Agreement
These include that the leadership of CATA, Codeta and their affiliates would abide by the law.
Both associations would stop all hostilities against members and employees of each other's associations; allow all holders of valid operating licences to operate in accordance with their rights; and to neither allow, nor encourage illegal operations on any routes or at any ranks.
He said the Department of Transport and Public Works would prepare a notice of intention and final regulations to close affected ranks and routes and to suspend affected operating licences in the event of further violence.
"I, together with the department, will engage with municipalities on the management of public transport ranks and interchanges and the implementation of proper access control and security measures.
"The full set of ten draft resolutions has been circulated to the industry leaders for their review and discussion with their respective members.
"The final resolutions will be announced at a joint media briefing between the Ministry and the leaders of CATA, Codeta and the Western Cape branch of the SA National Taxi Council (SANTACO-WC) on a date to be communicated," Madikizela said.
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