Taxi associations negotiate a solution
Last week, taxi commuters had to walk long distances with their groceries, not knowing where exactly to board taxis to get home.
MBOMBELA – A meeting between taxi associations in the city brought a week-long stalemate to an end on Sunday. Taxi bosses agreed to return to their platforms for the sake of respect for passengers and peace.
Last week, taxi commuters had to walk long distances with their groceries, not knowing where exactly to board taxis to get home, due to the conflict between associations over long-distance routes.
Many commuters were seen with luggage at Nelspruit Plaza Taxi Rank, frantically searching for transport.
Those who were lucky enough to get into the taxi rank were ferried to where a long queue of taxis, stretching from Brown Street to what used to be the Isuzu Properties, were parked.
This caused chaos and a backup of traffic. Police vehicles were visible on the main street near the rank.
Representatives of the KaBokweni Taxi Association said they had decided to abandon the Mbombela Taxi Rank last Thursday after their counterpart, Top Star Association, denied them rights to transport passengers over long distances.
The KaBokweni association was accused of not having licences to ferry passengers to Pretoria and Johannesburg.
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Mr Vusi Lukhele, secretary of the association, said all hell broke loose when its operators were accused by Top Star management of having illegal permits.
“We still stand on what the former MEC for roads and transport said about our permits. However, recommendations were made, allowing us to work together and ferry passengers to Pretoria and Johannesburg. We have met with them and the relevant department over the same issue for years, but there is still no solution. Our long-distance taxis have not been able to operate for days,” he explained.
Top Star chairman, Mr John Mavundla, said the misunderstanding began when taxi operators started picking up passengers from the streets instead of at the taxi rank.
“We are fighting against illegal taxis. All taxi associations must collect their passengers from the platforms provided at the taxi rank,” he said.
Mavundla emphasised that his association was legal. “We have proof that they are using fraudulent permits. We expect government to take action against them, similar to what they did with us. All that we are saying is that taxis must go back to the rank and operate where they are supposed to,” he said.
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Spokesman for roads and transport, Mr David Nkambule, said the department was concerned about the situation.
“We are appealing to all those involved to desist from preventing any other operator in possession of a valid licence from operating. It is only law-enforcement agencies that have the right to prevent any operator from doing their work.”
