MBOMBELA – The R40 between White River and the province’s capital was the scene of utter chaos when taxis blocked several accesses leading into the city yesterday morning. This was due to a protest by operators affiliated to the G8 Taxi Association, who demanded their own taxi rank, separate from the public transport hub in the city’s CBD.
Traffic moved slowly at first, but came to a complete standstill for nearly an hour and a half, trapping many motorists on their way to work. Some drivers tried reversing or entering the incoming-traffic lane to avoid the traffic jam, but to no avail. At one point taxis barricaded the whole length of the road, just beyond the turn-off to the agricultural college and taxi drivers banged on the windows of vehicles attempting to pass. The road was flanked by dozens of commuters who had abandoned their public transport and were walking into town in an attempt to arrive at work.
A few motorists, trapped a kilometre or two from their workplaces in the Riverside Mall or surrounding businesses, left their cars on the side of the road and walked to work.
Spokesman for the Mbombela Local Municipality, Mr Joseph Ngala, said the director general, Dr Nonthlanhla Mkhize, and representatives of the Mpumalanga government swiftly met with representatives of the taxi operators to resolve the situation. During the meeting it was agreed that a temporary taxi rank would be set up for the aggrieved operators until a permanent solution could be devised. “Both parties also agreed that the inconvenience caused by the blockades should be avoided at all costs as it might have easily escalated into violence,” a press statement read. A task team, which includes various stakeholders, was created to find solutions to the current disagreements between taxi operators who transported people to and from Mbombela.
By 09:30 the vehicles barricading the road had been moved and most commuters could finally get to work. Road users expressed their displeasure at the delays on Lowvelder’s Facebook page, with one saying she was late for work by two hours and missed a report deadline, while another commented on the aggressive behaviour of taxi drivers barricading the road.
In its press statement the provincial government apologised to all motorists and commuters for the inconvenience caused by the protest.
