Cape Town commuters disgruntled ahead of taxi strike

Commuters in Cape Town are not happy about the taxi industry’s decision to embark on a shutdown on Monday and Tuesday.

The stay away is in protest against the provincial government’s announcement that the Blue Dot taxi pilot programme would cease operations at the end of this month.  Taxi drivers are angry at what they say is the regular impounding of their vehicles.

Commuters express they cannot access nor afford alternative transport.

One of the commuters expressed concern around the the planned strike,  “No work no pay, so even now I’m not thinking of going back home, I must just book a place around that’s much cheaper for me than to go back and don’t know how to travel back. Trains and buses are expensive, then we have to walk by foot or bicycle. It will affect all of us in Cape Town as people who are working hard are the ones who are losing.”

Video: Thousands of commuters left stranded as taxi operators protest over bus operations

Taxi organisations that operate on the Garden Route and Karoo region say they will not take part in the Western Cape shutdown, planned for Monday and Tuesday.

Deputy Chairperson of SANTACO in the Eden region, Welele Mbudede, says their invitation to the SANTACO provincial meeting came too late to attend, and they couldn’t consult with all their regional members on time.

“We are in solidarity with out colleagues. We don’t always see eye to eye with government. What they are complaining about are issues that also affect us such as the Blue Dot programme and the impoundement of taxis,” Mbudede explained.

The Garden Route and Karoo will not form part of the provincial stay-away. Regional Deputy Chairperson, Welele Mbudede says they support the action but their invitation to the provincial meeting came too late and they couldn’t consult their regional members on time.#sabcnews pic.twitter.com/FLgvFgfLWf

— Sphiwe Hobasi (@MrCow_man) November 20, 2022