The trade union federation, COSATU, said it is deeply disappointed with the decision to shut down certain taxi routes in Cape Town.

This is because 10 routes linking Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Lwandle, Nomzamo and Somerset West were closed for a period of 30 days on Wednesday morning, in a bid to quell ongoing violence in the taxi industry.

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He said the decision “will have a severe and negative impact on thousands of commuters and the working class across the province”.

He added that the taxi industry is the “lifeblood” of the province’s commuter sector, and the closure of the taxi routes, as such, negatively impacts the working class, students, and general citizens and their access to essential services.

De Bruyn believes Mobility MEC, Isaac Sileku, does not have a clear and sustainable plan to address this.

“Our primary concern is that the MEC does not have a viable, sustainable plan to mitigate the immense inconvenience and potential economic hardship this closure will inflict on commuters,” said De Bruyn in a statement.

As such, COSATU has demanded that Sileku present a “comprehensive and practical plan” addressing commuters’ concerns.

He further urged Sileku to review his decision to close the routes, and to convene an urgent meeting including labour unions and stakeholders in the taxi and other commuter industries.

“We believe that through constructive and genuine engagement, a solution can be found that prioritizes the needs of the people. Public transport policy must be developed with the people, not imposed upon them,” said De Bruyn.

*This article has been updated to include additional information.