Taxi violence: Transport & Public Works Committee to meet on Thursday, 29 July

NATIONAL NEWS - In light of the recent taxi violence, the provincial Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works will meet on Thursday, 29 July 2021. From the legislature, it is important that we conduct oversight of the work of all roleplayers to bring the violence to an end so that commuters can travel safely.

More than this, we recognise that the issues facing the taxi industry cannot be seen in a silo. We need a broader view of the position of public transport as a whole in the Western Cape because our priority remains residents’ safety and convenience in their commutes.

We have invited the City of Cape Town, the national Department of Transport, PRASA, SANTACO, SAPS, Golden Arrow, MEC Albert Fritz (Community Safety), and his department, and MEC Daylin Mitchell (Transport and Public Works), and his department, to the meeting. All of these important stakeholders have shown a keen interest in the meeting and a sincere willingness to move forward for the benefit of the province.

We note and support the efforts of MECs Mitchell and Fritz, Premier Winde, and Minister Mbalula to bring all major taxi stakeholders around the table for negotiations. Despite this strong commitment and provision of negotiation resources, it is deeply regrettable that the taxi associations contesting route B97 have not reached an agreement.

In the interest of commuters’ immediate safety, we commend Minister Mitchell for taking a firm decision to close the route between Belville and Mbekweni (Paarl). Whilst we all would have wanted to avoid this, we cannot tolerate the thuggery of a few to put lives in jeopardy.

In the interim, Golden Arrow has stepped in and partnered with government to run additional trips for the route affected, along with the Metrorail service for the region.