Western Cape police have warned of stern action against those who may be planning to embark on violence and disruptions during the taxi strike on Monday and Tuesday.
Police say they will not tolerate the disruption of other transport operators and motorists that may affect the lives of commuters.
Spokesperson Novela Potelwa says several law enforcement units will be deployed to potential hotspots.
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) is planning a two-day stay-away in the province.
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
Violence and arson against other modes of public transport and commuters previously marked taxi protests.
Disgruntled commuters
Meanwhile, commuters in Cape Town are not happy about the taxi industry’s decision to embark on a shutdown.
One of the commuters expressed concern about 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.”
In the report below, Santaco in the Western Cape to embark on taxi strike:
-Additional reporting by Tanya Krause
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