This became evident when learners and students within the City were left stranded and without transport to their various schools and the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) this morning, Wednesday March 2.

Scores of taxis parked next to roads in some parts of the municipality’s townships such as Pienaar, without operating.

Private students transport operators were not allowed to operate.

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According to information at Mpumalanga News‘ disposal, the tensions between the two transport operators (private and public), were triggered by the UMP’s students transport tender, which eventually favoured the private operators.

The Mpumalanga MEC for transport, Mohita Latchminarain, has since made a call to the taxi industry to respect the law.

She stressed that the ongoing interference with regard to the affairs of the university regarding student transportation is not going to be tolerated.

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“The safety of the students between their official student accommodation and the campus in Mbombela is the responsibility of the University of Mpumalanga and as such, the university has a right to source transport of their students to the various student accommodation as per their guidelines.

There is no association that owns public road and that’s why they are also issued with permission to operate on certain routes in the province as outlined in the National Land Transport Transition Act. “If taxi associations are going to continue to destabilise and threaten UMP service providers, the department will have no choice but to revoke their operating licences,” warned Latchminarain.