KZN transport MEC takes on Ladysmith taxi warlords, bans their taxis for 6 months

Speaking at a press briefing at the Ladysmith Town Hall, MEC for Transport, Community Safety & Liaison Mr Mxolisi Kaunda explained the extraordinary measures that government will undertake to stop the killing of operators and innocent commuters, Ladysmith Gazette reports.

He evoked Section 91 of the National Land Transport Act, 2009, Act No. 5 of 2009 – which gives the MEC power to apply extraordinary measures – aimed at saving people’s lives.

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It is also intended to bring stability to the taxi industry in Ladysmith and areas within Alfred Duma Local Municipality, where approximately 71 lives have been lost since the outbreak of this conflict between Sizwe Transport Taxi Association and Klipriver Taxi Association.

We have thus taken the decision to suspend all taxi operations of Klipriver and Sizwe taxi associations in Ladysmith for six months. This means that both Sizwe and Klipriver taxi associations will not operate during the said period, effective from December 7, 2017.

“We would like to assure members of the public that, as the Department of Transport, we are doing everything we can to ensure that they are not severely affected by the decision.

“We have already engaged bus operators in the area to assist with the transportation of people. Bus routes and times have been developed and will be made available to the public,” added Kaunda.

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