Cape Town commuters face chaos as taxi strike follows Nyanga taxi rank fire
Commuters in Nyanga scramble for transport on Monday morning as taxi services are disrupted following the burning of nine taxis at the Nyanga taxi rank last week
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media
Commuters across parts of Cape Town faced major transport disruptions on Monday morning after taxi operators affiliated with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) appeared to withdraw services in several areas, citing safety concerns following recent incidents affecting the industry.
The disruption was most severe in Nyanga, where taxi operators on the Seawater route were expected to march to the Nyanga police station. The protest follows the destruction of several taxis at the Nyanga taxi terminus last week.
Many commuters reported being stranded during the morning peak, scrambling to find alternative transport to work and school. Traffic monitoring groups reported disruptions at several transport hubs, including Nyanga, Bellville, Langa, Durbanville and Lwandle in Somerset West. No road blockages had been reported by Monday morning.
The protest action comes days after nine taxis were destroyed in a fire at the Nyanga taxi rank in the early hours of Friday. According to police, officers on patrol in Terminus Road noticed smoke coming from the taxi rank and discovered several taxis on fire. Fire and Rescue Services were called to extinguish the blaze and no injuries were reported.
Reports indicate that the vehicles belonged to members of CATA. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The association has called for increased security at taxi ranks, including the installation of surveillance cameras to help identify perpetrators behind attacks on taxis.
The latest disruptions come as authorities attempt to curb taxi-related violence in parts of the province.
The Western Cape Government last week welcomed a High Court interdict aimed at preventing transport-related intimidation and illegal operations affecting residents in Atlantis, Saxonwold and Witsand. The order is directed at several taxi associations and individuals, including CATA, the Saxonwold Local Taxi Association, the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA), the Atlantis Taxi Association and the CODETA Khayelitsha Killarney Local Taxi Association.
The court order prohibits respondents, including officials, employees and drivers, from interfering with any form of public or private transport, including assaulting, intimidating or threatening drivers or operators.
Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku said the intervention was intended to reinforce the rule of law and ensure that residents can travel safely to work and school.
The interdict applies to several areas where incidents of interference have been reported, including the Potsdam Public Transport Interchange and taxi rank, the Atlantis CBD taxi rank, Westfleur Circle in Avondale and the Witsand informal taxi rank in the Saxonwold area. Taxi associations have been directed to ensure their members comply with the order and operate only with valid licences.