Santaco and City of Cape Town’s Truce on Shaky Ground, Council Calls Meeting After More Taxis Impounded

• The uneasy truce between Santaco and the City of Cape Town is fraying following the week-long taxi strike
• Santaco is calling an urgent meeting after accusing the city violated their agreement by impounding six taxis over the weekend.
• Santaco intends to respond assertively, including getting an interdict against the city
• Speaking to Briefly News, MMC for Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith explained why the metro impounded the vehicles

CAPE TOWN - The South African Taxi Council (Santaco) and the City of Cape Town's fragile truce seem to be falling apart less than a week after the disruptive and violent strike was called off.

The two came to a mutual agreement that led to Santaco calling off the strike on Thursday, 10 August, on the condition that no taxis would be impounded within the 14 days since the protest ceased.

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Now the taxi council has taken aim at the City of Cape Town, accusing the metro of not holding up its end of the agreement after 14 taxis were impounded on Friday and Saturday, The Citizen reported.

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Cape Towns MMC for Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith explained why the metro impounded the vehicles.

Smith said that out of the 14 taxis impounded, only one was contrary to the agreement with Santaco, which was promptly released because it hadn't been processed yet.

Smith added:

"The other taxis were impounded for the serious offences as agreed upon with SANTACO, and these are impoundments under the NLTA for vehicles driving without an operating license, or on the incorrect route, or without a drivers license or PDP, or which are not roadworthy."

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Santaco calls urgent meeting

Santaco is not taking the slight lying down and plans to call an urgent meeting on Monday, 14 August, to plan its next move.

Speaking on eNCA, Santaco's treasurer in the Western Cape, Ivan Waldeck, issued a weighty warning.

Waldeck said:

“We have an urgent meeting. Just pray that there in that meeting the way forward will be different

The taxi council also plans to take the city to court. Waldeck said the council will file a court interdict against the metro and the MEC.

SA divided by Santaco's accusations

Below are some comments:

@muhbzelz commented:

"These taxi guys just make up agreements as they go. City never promised to stop enforcing the law."

@IzweWarren questioned:

"How can we have agreements to ignore laws?"

@MattSnyman10 added:

"Taxi must comply with the law. End of story."

@MatlouJNR rebutted:

"The prosecutors must cancel those impound slips and get them released to the owners. Simple."

Read also

Santaco accuses Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis of portraying taxi operators as villains”

@lesmakhen commented:

"At least they have learned that violence does not solve anything. Let them go to court, and the court will decide who is wrong or right."

Santaco criticised Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis for villainising taxi operators after recent remarks

In a related story, Briefly News reported that with the week-long taxi stay-away protest finally called off, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) called out Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

Following recent remarks, Western Cape Santaco chairperson Mandla Hermanus accused the mayor of trying to portray taxi operators as villains.

Speaking on Newzroom Afrika, Hermanus responded to a question about the City of Cape Town's mayor's remarks that the deal Santaco agreed to was on the table last Friday.

Source: Briefly News