Taxi Strike Creates Chaos in Cape Town, Thousands of Commuters Left Stranded & 2 Golden Arrow Busses Torched

• Mayhem broke out in the city of Cape Town after the taxi industry decided to suspend operations in the Western Cape
• Thousands of commuters were left stranded with no way home after Santaco Withdrew all the vehicles from taxi ranks in the city on Thursday, 3 August
• As a clash between the taxi Industries and law enforcement continued, two Golden Arrows buses were tortured at the Nyanga Bus terminus

CAPE TOWN - City of Cape Town has been thrust into chaos after the local taxi industry downed tools and started a stay-away on Thursday, 3 August.

The SA National Taxi Council’s (Santaco) provincial executive committee met with other taxi associations in the afternoon after an impoundment operation in the city led to a violent clash between law enforcement and taxi operators on Tuesday, 1 August.

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Santaco suspends taxi operations in Western Cape

Santaco decided to suspend operations all across the province and immediately pulled all their vehicles from taxi ranks as of Thursday afternoon due to the Western Cape government’s ill-treatment of the taxi industry, News24 reported.

The decision has resulted in devastating consequences for commuters. Scores of people who rely on public transport to get from place to place were left stranded as taxis made a mass exodus out of the city.

Golden Arrow busses help ferry passengers home, 2 busses torched in Nyanga

According to EWN, a few Golden Arrow buses came to the rescue and tried accommodating the thousands of commuters that converged at the Cape Town bus terminus to find a way home. Hundreds with no choice were forced to brave the cold and walk home.

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Earlier in the day, two golden arrow busses were torched at the Nyanga bus terminus as the clash between the taxi industry and authorities came to a head. The details surrounding the attack and the motive are still unclear. However, MyCiTi bus services have been suspended out of concern for safety in Khayelitsha.

Cape Town taxi strike sparks debate in South Africa

Below are some comments:

@DivineTime2All commented:

“Imagine if the railways were in full working order.”

@ManAboutNews1 questioned:

“@CityofCT??? Best run city in the country?”

@riridiamond7912 added:

“I drove past an hour ago. There are hundreds of commuters stuck without transport. People walking from the city on Nelson Mandela Boulevard. It is so sad.”

@Asharraa criticised:

“Because taxis are a law onto themselves.”

Taxi operators slammed after Uber and Bolt’s 3-month ban from Soweto malls: “What happened to competition?”

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the conflict between e-hailing drivers and taxi operators in Soweto reached a temporary resolution.

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E-hailing services have been banned from dropping off and picking up customers inside shopping malls in Soweto for the next three months.

The conditions of the truce have been criticised by South Africans who believe e-hailing drivers are being punished for the actions of minibus taxi drivers.

Source: Briefly News