8 June 2004 Press Release Joburg City reverses taxi lockout The City of Johannesburg, the taxi associations operating in the inner City and the Metro Trading Company, which manages the Metro Mall taxi rank, met on Monday 07, June 2004 to try and resolve a dispute that led to the eviction of the taxi operators out of the rank. The taxi operators were locked out of the Mall on 17 May 2004 after they incurred over one million rand (R1-m) in service fees arrears. The parties agreed on Monday 07, 2004 that no further inconvenience would be caused to the commuters. The parties will go back to the negotiation table, scheduled for Friday 11 June 2004. The taxi operators will be allowed back into the Mall with immediate effect. Payment and other taxi-related issues will be discussed at the Friday meeting. Johannesburg's director of communications, Gabu Tugwana said: "We are optimistic that a solution that will satisfy both parties with the least inconvenience to the public will be reached soon. We are taking the word of the taxi operators that they are committed to resolving the issue". A taxi industry spokesperson Dumisani Mtambo said: "We support the progress and want to co-operate on this matter. Payment is just one of the issues but we want to render a good service to the public." Ends Gabu Tugwana Communications Director Telephone: 011 407-7322 Facsimile: 011 403-3494 Cell: 082 495 5673 Email: gabut@joburg.org.za Dumisani Mtambo Mall Taxi Association (Mata) Cell: 073 253 3502