Strike is over: Taxis back on the roads, organisation slams fake news
|Published
Taxis back on the roads
Santaco has rubbished rumours that the strike will continue until Thursday.
The deputy chairperson of the taxi organisation Nceba Enge said this on the second day of the planned shutdown.
The two-day action was to send a message to the government about the industry’s grievances.
The taxi men said last Wednesday that the three main reasons for the strike are:
- The by-laws by the City which they say are to criminalise the industry as a whole;
- The Blue Dot pilot project that they want expanded, not just extended, we want everyone in every region to benefit from it;
- They also want the taxi industry to be subsidised.
Last Wednesday, the taxi men held a meeting in Portlands, in Mitchells Plain and there they decided that they would stop all operations in the province to try and get the government’s attention.
On Monday, the strike began with violent attacks reported such as a Golden Arrow bus and MyCiTi burned and also another bus hijacked and later recovered.
Enge tells the Daily Voice: “We have received nothing [positive] for the government.
“We will resume our services this morning even though there was nothing from the government.
“But we managed to make them panic, especially on Monday.
“We wanted to send a message to them and they have received it. We will see what happens in the future.
“There is fake news that we are going to continue with the strike until Thursday, there is not such.”
In a poster, which Santaco sent to the public, they thank everyone for their patience.
“We thank you for your patience and understanding during the course of the stay-away action.
“We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused and ensure that operations will resume effectively this morning.”
On Tuesday, no taxi-related violence was reported.
Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said undercover officers boarded buses along with passengers.
“Drone technology has been implemented as additional support,” he added.
“We will not negotiate with those intimidating law abiding citizens, passengers or public transport entities.
“The law applies to all and must be upheld.”
Caption: DAY 1 CHAOS: MyCiTi bus on fire RESUMES SERVICES: Enge
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Caption:
Caption:
n The Blue Dot pilot project that they want expanded, not just extended, we want everyone in every region to benefit from it
n They also want the taxi industry to be subsidised
Last Wednesday, the taxi men held a meeting in Portlands, in Mitchells Plain and there they decided that they would stop all operations in the province to try and get the government’s attention.
On Monday, the strike began with violent attacks reported such as a Golden Arrow bus and MyCiTi burned and also another bus hijacked and later recovered.
Enge tells the Daily Voice: “We have received nothing (positive) for the government.
“We will resume our services this morning even though there was nothing from the government.
“But we managed to make them panic, especially on Monday.
“We wanted to send a message to them and they have received it. We will see what happens in the future.
“There is fake news that we are going to continue with the strike until Thursday there is not such.”
In a poster, which Santaco sent to the public, they thank everyone for their patience.
“We thank you for your patience and understanding during the course of the stay-away action.
“We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused and ensure that operations will resume effectively this morning.”
Yesterday, no taxi-related violence was reported.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said undercover officers boarded buses along with passengers.
“Drone technology has been implemented as additional support.
“We will not negotiate with those intimidating law abiding citizens, passengers or public transport entities.
“The law applies to all and must be upheld.”