Taxi thugs at it again: Cape learners forced to stay out of school

Thousands of learners have been forced to stay out of school over the past two weeks as taxi drivers, associated with Cata and Codeta, are blocking scholar transport from operating.

Education MEC David Maynier said he was due to meet provincial Police Commissioner lieutenant-general Thembisile Patekile to discuss what cops will be doing to stop this “attempted extortion and intimidation by the taxi industry”.

Maynier said close to 2 400 children from Mfuleni and Brentwood Park failed to turn up for classes at Academia Primary in Khayelitsha after Codeta barred scholar transport from operating along their route.

Maynier, who visited Academia Primary, said 90% of learners were absent on Monday.

“Minibus taxi association members have been threatening and harassing our contracted drivers to prevent them transporting learners.

“This is an attempt to muscle in on transport contracts and to extort money from the Western Cape Education Department.”

Concerned mom Nontsikelelo Manqamane said: “Last Tuesday, the school buses managed to fetch some kids but then when it made the second trip, the children were told to get off the bus.

“We then received a message from the school, saying they would drop off the learners who were already in school, including my son, who’s in Grade 1.

Codeta’s Nceba Enge insisted they wanted a meeting with the WCED before the buses operate again.

“Last March we met the department and told them we want to be responsible for transporting children because we didn’t want buses from outside our townships doing what we are capable of doing,” he told the Weekend Argus.

“At the time, the contract was to end in April and the buses would continue on a month-to-month basis while we were negotiating, but the second meeting never took place.

“The department refuses to give us the tender and the drivers have now revolted.”

But Maynier said taxi associations are spreading “disinformation”.

“This is false. The minibus taxi associations appear to be demanding that we allocate transport contracts to them without following tender processes, which we cannot and will not do. It is simply illegal.

“Let us be clear: the WCED will not meet with any minibus taxi association until they terminate their blockade, and teaching and learning resumes without disruption.

“They have now allegedly issued a threat to ‘offload’ learners from any transport not operated by minibus taxi association members, posing a serious threat to our children’s safety.

“This allegedly includes parents driving their children to school because their usual transport is not operating.”

Acting MEC for Mobility, Ivan Meyer’s spokesperson Daniel Johnson said the department has contacted the police.

“Reported incidents are clustered in Khayelitsha, Langa, Nyanga and other areas, with the criminals claiming to represent Cata and Codeta.

“We have been informed that victims of these crimes, including the drivers of the vehicles, owners, and the learners in the vehicles, are warned that they will be targeted if they dare to open criminal cases,” he said.

Weekend Argus