Western Cape taxi drivers breaking lockdown regulations to get to the Eastern Cape have been issued a stern warning. That’s after over 100 taxis travelling this route were stopped in Aberdeen.
Some passengers didn’t have the correct travel permits while a number of taxis were overloaded.
#LockDownSA Several taxis traveling from Cape Town have been stopped at a massive roadblock in Aberdeen in the EC @SAPoliceService are checking for permits and if taxis are complying with Transport lockdown regulations. @SA_Taxis @Dotransport via: @AlgoaFMNews pic.twitter.com/nHON47795x
— Road Traffic Management Corporation (@TrafficRTMC) April 10, 2020
The Western Cape’s Minister for Transport, Bonginkosi Madikizela, says offenders must be dealt with.
“The public must take responsibility here. We have communicated and publicized the regulations far and wide. People know that they may not get into a vehicle where there are already more than 70% of passengers. But the punishment must be on those drivers and maybe owners, knowing very well that they are breaking the law.”
@MbalulaFikile those taxis found in Aberdeen in large droves, how did they pass the province they were coming from in the first place, MEC for transport in WC must account
— siyabonga gwexe (@gwexes) April 11, 2020
City of Johannesburg enforces compliance
Meanwhile, the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Geoffrey Makhubo, has joined the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department at a stop and verify roadblock aimed at checking the compliance of Motorists with the regulations pronounced by the President under the National State of Disaster.
SABC News reporter, Thabiso Sithole reports in the video below:
Makhubo says the majority of COVID-19 cases in Gauteng are in Johannesburg. He says this confirms that as the City they have to enforce compliance in an effort to avoid the spread of the virus.
He says so far more than 20 people have been arrested for contravening the regulations.
“I am worried about it. But we are preparing for the pick. I don’t think we have reached the peak yet, but we are trying to prevent us from getting there. In order to do that we need to stay home.
“We have to self-quarantine. We have to self-isolate. Of course, there are difficult areas like informal settlements. There are difficult areas like defomalising areas like Diepsloot, down the road here, but have to enforce the law. We got no choice.