Hundreds return home as #TaxiStrike blocks off Tembisa
'We are basically imprisoned where we stay'
“Morning. All routes are blocked. People cannot access Kempton Park. We are basically imprisoned where we stay. We are just going in circles.”
With this message Kempton Express journalist James Mahlokwane informed his employer on Thursday morning he was not going to get to work on time.
He submitted the following:
Those who were prevented from leaving Tembisa this morning, have returned to their homes.
Some are now doing their washing and others are sitting on corners having conversations – these are the guys who normally have vans or trucks come to collect them for work; mostly work in landscaping and plumbing.
Many people had sought alternative transport by riding on the backs of trucks and vans but they were forced to return home as taxi drivers blocked all exits and major intersections, only allowing ambulances and traffic officers with an emergency through.
Lots of children are still with their parents as they could not make it to school for exams, especially those learners attending schools in Kempton Park. Most Tembisa schools have not been affected.
Some workers started eating their lunch boxes and others queued for vetkoek outside Tembisa Hospital. Numerous ambulances and EMPD vehicles were also seen queueing in the traffic.
Yesterday taxi communters were advised to seek alternative transport by the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) but today all vehicles and trucks are stopped and forced to return home. Scores of the Gauteng labour force has been forced to return home as major routes have been blocked.
Initially the council released a statement encouraging taxi commuters to seek alternative transport as its members would march to Midrand to express their frustration regarding what they called “high minibus taxi purchase costs” by directors of SA Taxi Finance Company.
