City condemns intimidation by taxi drivers against scholar transport operators
The city and its provincial counterparts are committed to the peaceful movement of our people.
Members of the EMPD were recently deployed to monitor some routes in the northern region of the City of Ekurhuleni following incidents of intimidation and harassment, allegedly by taxi operators.
This comes after the MMC for Roads and Transport Clr Andile Mngwevu recently received reports of acts of intimidation on the Kempton Park and Thembisa routes.
The city calls for co-operation amongst taxi associations and scholar transport operators in the city.
Metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini pointed out that, according to the National Land Transport Act (Act no. 5 of 2009) Sec 72 under transport of scholars, students, teachers and lectures, all learner transport operators or organisations are independent and are not obligated to affiliate under any taxi association.
“We have received very concerning complaints from scholar transport operators regarding acts of intimidation and interference from members of taxi associations operating in the northern region of our city.
“This is completely not acceptable and must be discouraged,” said Mngwevu.
“We urge anyone involved in such acts to refrain from any acts of intimidation towards the scholar transport operators with immediate effect and maintain a respectful and considerate atmosphere for the safety of the industry and the children that are being transported,” he appealed.
Mngwevu added that ‘the city and its provincial counterparts are committed to the peaceful movement of our people’.
The scholar transport sector has recently found itself in the spotlight because of several deadly accidents involving their vehicles in several towns, including Benoni and Germiston.
