East commuters still without transport due to strike
Thousands of Mamelodi commuters were left stranded by the strike.
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) was expected to meet later today over a strike that has led to the total shutdown of taxi routes in the east of Pretoria.
The strike started last week Monday. Unhappiness about some taxi operators, belonging to the Mamelodi taxi association (Mata), being allegedly allowed to jump the queue at the Mamelodi taxi rank to pick up passengers is behind the strike.
So-called ‘queue marshals’ were also unhappy that their payments by Mata were reduced from R900 to R700 without consultation. The meeting was scheduled to take place at Santacos Tshwane regional offices at 14:00, according to Santaco regional spokesperson Mack Makata.
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Makata said Santaco believed the strike to be over last week Thursday following a meeting between the community and affected parties. However, ‘there seems to have been a misunderstanding’.
Current situation in mamelodi taxi drivers are on strike #SABCNews #PutSouthAfricansFirst #PutSouthAfricansFirstNow pic.twitter.com/YfOkiQkJGx
— DIPONO (@PANYAZARATLHOGO) June 9, 2020
Thousands of Mamelodi commuters were left stranded by the strike.
“Taxis here in Mamelodi to town are on strike, so some good Samaritan, a taxi driver tried to help us; however, some other taxi followed us and told him he cannot work,” commuter Malapane Tirelo posted on Twitter.
Tirelo said they were all told to get off the taxi and that the commuters were left stranded and had to walk back home.
Taxi owners and drivers have called for the chairperson of Mata to resign with immediate effect.
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“This total shutdown may cause disruption and violence as some may operate forcefully,” said a poster on Twitter.
Mamelodi East CPF chairperson Eddie Mnguni called on the taxi industry to resolve their challenges ‘speedily and without any bloodshed’.
“Commuters are badly affected by this [strike] and cannot go back to work,” he said.
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