The Western Cape taxi strike is over.
Tonight the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) announced an immediate cessation of an 8-day stayaway that brought the province to a standstill and resulted in the deaths of at least five people.
Santaco Western Cape chairperson, Mandla Hermanus, apologised to the families of those who lost their lives in the carnage on the roads.
Santaco said after meeting with the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government earlier today, it had reached an agreement that over the coming two weeks, all parties would work towards the release of “wrongly” impounded taxis.
After the three-hour-long meeting with Santaco, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said “reasonable offers” had been put on the table but that the ball was now in Santaco’s court.
In a statement, Hermanus said: “It is with profound relief that we announce the immediate cessation of the stayaway. This comes after painstaking deliberations and immense pressure on all parties involved.
“First and foremost, on behalf of Santaco Western Cape, I convey our sincerest condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives during the stayaway. We stand with you in this time of grief and offer our profound sympathies.
“We also extend our heartfelt sympathy to everyone who was negatively affected by the events of the past days.
“It deeply saddens and disappoints us that it took this long for all parties to find a resolution. The wellbeing of our community and the public at large has always been our top priority, and it pains us to witness the unnecessary pain and suffering that transpired.
Santaco announced on Wednesday that it was extending their 7-day strike by 48 hours for their lawyers to apply for an urgent court interdict to release all vehicles impounded by the City, and to prevent the City from further impounding taxis.
This followed a threat by mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, that the City would “proceed with impounding 25 vehicles for every truck, bus, vehicle or facility that is burnt or vandalised”.
Hermanus however said: “I am pleased to announce that as part of the resolution reached between the taxi industry and the Government, there is an agreement that the next 14 days will be utilised to work towards the release of the vehicles that were wrongly impounded. This is a significant step towards restoring trust and operations to their regular state.”
Meanwhile, the taxi strike has grabbed international headlines after a British doctor was shot and killed during the violence in Nyanga.
UK media reported that the 40-year-old award-winning trauma and orthopaedic consultant was killed when his GPS directed him through an unsafe alternative route.
The City's safety boss JP Smith told the Daily Voice: “This particular crime will have serious consequences for our city and will lead to increased challenges for the tourism sector and possibly job losses for people who depend on tourism for an income for them and their family.”
Multiple shops have been looted while motorists and buses were targeted by vuilgatte.
Videos of residents looting a Check Save grocery store in Belgravia Estate flooded WhatsApp crime groups yesterday.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za