Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga says the Department of Transport expects to meet with both the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and officials in the City of Cape Town following the taxi industry’s suspension of services in the city.
She was speaking on the sidelines of the National Dialogue on Coalition Governments held in Cape Town.
On Wednesday after the taxi council suspended operations, taxis blocked roads, including major highways, resulting in the burning of buses and intimidation of motorists.
The strike follows a standoff with the City of Cape Town on various issues, including the impounding of taxis and operating license applications.
Chikunga said the department is expecting to convene a meeting with all role players to find a solution to the impasse.
“We acquire requested the MEC for Transport [in the Western Cape] because we believe the Department of Transport should lead and not the police because this is a matter that requires the Department of Transport nationally and provincially, sitting together with the metro.
“Of course, also the taxi industry itself represented by SANTACO. We acquire invited the national leadership of SANTACO, also their provincial and local leadership so that we hear exactly what the issues are and find solutions to those problems,” Chikunga said.
The Minister called for taxi operators to reconsider the suspension of services, which has left thousands of commuters without transport.
“We are extremely concerned about what has happened. What we would like SANTACO to finish is maybe call off the strike while we are trying to find a solution. The people who become victims are not the people that they are unhappy with, but it is the commuters.
“Of course we would want to protect the Netball World Cup. We gain got other events that believe to seize area in Cape Town. [The taxi industry] plays a key role in the transportation of commuters and we would definitely try to cajole them to consider calling off the strike,” she said.
Chikunga condemned the violence that erupted allegedly at the hands of taxi drivers in the area but also called on city officials to mete out “equal treatment” to all motorists, including those in the transportation industry.
“We are not saying that law enforcement should not enforce the law and we are not saying that the taxi industry should not abide by the law… of the road because that actually leads to accidents.
“However, when that law is meted, it should not honest target the taxi industry. We are opposed to that. We can’t believe a by-law that is honest for the taxi industry. If it is wrong to cross any barricade line, it should be wrong for the bus, the taxi and for everybody. It should not honest focus on and target the taxi industry,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
Mercury Reborn
Satan visits Johannesburg and meets Gatiep.
\”Do you know who i am?\” Satan asks?
\”No I dont\” says Gatiep \”Give me a hint\”.
\”I am the prince of darkness\” says Satan.
\”My F#K\” yells Gatiep \”You\’re the CEO of Eskom then!\”
Raggedy Ann
Diary of an Englishman after he moves to South Africa….
**August 1**: Just got transferred with work from London, UK to our new home in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, South Africa. Now this is a town that knows how to live! Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings. I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday. It was beautiful. I’ve finally found my new home. I love it here.
**September 1:** Really heating up now. It got to 31 today. No problem though. Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this. I’m turning into a sun-worshipper – no blasted rain like back in London! Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today. Lots of palms and rocks. No more mowing lawns for me! Another scorcher today, but I love it here. It’s Paradise !
**October 1:** The temperature hasn’t been below 35 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least today it’s windy though. Keeps the flies off a bit. Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected. Fell asleep by the pool yesterday. Got third degree burns over 60% of my body. Missed three days off work. What a dumb thing to do. Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!
**October 25:** This wind is a bastard. It feels like a giant fucking blow dryer. And it’s hot as hell! The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged R200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from @#$# Johannesburg. The wife & the kids are complaining.
**October 30:** The temperature’s up around 40 and the parts still haven’t arrived for the fucking air conditioner. House is an oven so we’ve all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. Bleeding R4 million house and we can’t even go inside. Why the hell did I ever come here?
**November 4:** Finally got the fucking air-conditioner fixed. It cost R1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 35 degrees. Stupid repairman. Fucking thief. If one more smart bastard says ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I’m going to fucking throttle him. Fucking heat! By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my fucking clothes are soaking fucking wet and I smell like baked cat. Fucking place is the end of the Earth.
**November 9:** Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car. I thought my fucking backside was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my fucking behind. Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried bum and baked cat. The Weather report might as well be a fucking recording – hot and sunny. Hot and sunny, Hot and fucking sunny. It’s been too hot to do anything for 2 bleeding months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Fuck!!
**November 15:** Doesn’t it ever rain in this darn place? Water restrictions will be next, so my R5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the fucking pool. The only things that thrive in this hell-hole are the fucking flies. You don’t dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little buzzards!
**November 20:** Welcome to HELL! It got to 45 degrees today. Now the air conditioner is gone in my car. The repair man came to fix it and said, ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I wanted to shove the car up his backside. Anyway, had to spend the R2,500 of the mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid fool. Fucking PHALABORWA! What kind of sick, demented idiot would want to live here!
**December 1:** WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are fucking kidding me, right?