Public transport, including minibus taxis, is expected to resume on Friday, after two days of protest over fuel price hikes in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
The WhiteHazy Taxi association has promised to remove the debris used to blockade roads and resume operations following a meeting with other stakeholders.
Day two of the road closure on Thursday. Although some routes were opened for traffic, taxi drivers in Pienaar blocked roads with burning tyres. Commuters were left stranded and businesses closed.
”We have a cellphone and furniture business. We have three shops here. Since yesterday this mall is closed. We tried to come yesterday but nothing was happening, everything is closed. There is no local taxi, we don’t know how we will survive this thing” says one business owner.
The manager of Emoyeni Mall Shadrack Maswanganyi says the local mall remained closed as a precautionary measure.
”Today we just came to open but we think the situation is still bad, we must keep the mall closed so that our mall is safe, what I am happy with is that those people are not coming here to vandalise or anything.”
In Hazyview, Taxi operators, who had been blockading the routes, have vowed to clear the roads of the debris and resume operations.
Chairperson of the Whitehazy Taxi Association, Sayid Milazi says taxi operations will be back on Friday.
”We are cleaning the road from 4 pm the buses will start operating and will start cleaning. We told the taxi operators and buses not to operate today. Today will start cleaning and from 4 am tomorrow morning all taxis will start operating.”
Police continue to monitor the situation.
Calls for government to urgently review fuel prices
