February 6, 2003
By Thomas Thale
TAXI commuters across Gauteng could be left stranded on Monday if taxi operators go ahead with their planned one-day strike and protest march against the impounding of their vehicles by traffic authorities.
Peak-hour traffic flow into the city could be disrupted as the taxi operators are expected to drive in minibus-convoys into the Johannesburg Central Business District to take part in the march.
The announcement to strike was made on Thursday at a highly charged meeting attended by representatives of various taxi associations in the province, spearheaded by Top Six, one of the largest taxi federations in the country.
The taxi operators accuse government of failing to issue permits to taxi operators, and then impounding their vehicles for not having permits.
"We pay permit fines of R1 400 payable at respective traffic courts and an additional R1 000 impoundment fee payable to the Department of Transport in Johannesburg," Molefe Rapodile, spokesperson for Top Six, said. "But it is the government which has failed to issue permits."
George Negota, head of the permit board in the province's transport department, admitted that there had been delays in the issuing of permits under the taxi "be legal campaign".
"There is a moratorium on the issuing of permits throughout the country. The problem lies with taxis which don't qualify for permits, a decision must be taken at National level about what to do with such cases. We need to convene a conference of all permit boards in the country to decide on a uniform way forward."
Of the 15 000 taxis that applied for permits, only 10 000 were approved.
The Gauteng Taxi Council (Gataco) has called on the authorities to approve all the applicants to prevent conflict. Mandla Mnguni, the spokesperson for Gataco said it was "understandable" why Top Six has decided to go on strike.
"Taxi operators are unfairly harassed by law enforcement officers. We are made to pay exorbitant storage fees after our vehicles have been unjustly impounded," complained Mnguni.
Negota agreed that taxis should not be impounded for not having permits, but added that such a decision can only be taken in conjunction with other provinces.
At the same time, taxi operators charged, the taxi recapitalisation plan has been delayed, yet the old fleet is being impounded for being unroadworthy. The taxi operators accused traffic authorities in the province of refusing to release impounded vehicles even after fines have been paid. "We can't keep our vehicles and we can't buy new ones," said Rapodile.
Sizwe Matshikiza, spokesman for the Department of Transport in the province, dismissed these allegations, saying unroadworthy vehicles must not be on the road to start with. "We can't have moving coffins on our roads. So long as a vehicle is not roadworthy, it will be impounded over and over again."
Negota pleaded with taxi operators not to go ahead with their planned strike and undertook to have their grievances resolved by next week. Rapodile however, vowed to proceed with the march, saying the "arrangements have been finalised and there is no way we will call off the march. For three years we have been pleading with the Government. We will only talk to them after the march".
Bara taxi rank in Soweto
Describing Monday as "judgement day", Rapodile vowed that taxi operators will come out in large numbers to register their grievances. He nevertheless promised to keep the campaign peaceful. "No one will be coerced into joining the march," he said. Protests by taxi operators have in the past caused chaos on provincial roads.
