This live feed has ended, more information will be shared tomorrow morning.
SANTACO has denied that they are responsible for the incidents of violence that has marked the first day of the provincial taxi strike, because ”we are not operating.”
_______________________________________________________________
17:32 Traffic Update:
- The N2 outbound has been reopened.
- The N2 inbound is closed at Jakes Gerwel Drive.
- Jakes Gerwel Drive is closed between the R300 and Goven Mbeki.
- Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes and proceed with caution.
_______________________________________________________________
Strike UPDATE:
The City’s enforcement agencies says numerous vehicles have been set alight and sporadic incidents of stone-throwing have been reported. This includes petrol bomb attacks on 4 buses, 3 trucks and 3 bakkies well as an ambulance. There was also a video doing the rounds of a Coca Cola truck being looted.
The Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said:
These actions speak of thuggery and criminality and contempt for the safety of all commuters and road users. These shameful and cowardly acts must be placed before the leadership of SANTACO and the taxi associations involved. We are availing as many resources as possible to provide escorts to other public transport operators including the Golden Arrow and MyCiti bus services, to mitigate the risk of attacks, and doing everything possible to ensure that commuters get home safely. We are using all tools and resources, including the monitoring of all highways, freeways and arterial routes, through the Freeway Management System and CCTV camera networks.
_______________________________________________________________
City to seek urgent interdict against taxi strike violence
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has condemned the violence and lawlessness associated with the SANTACO strike action initiated this afternoon. The City is in the process of seeking an urgent interdict against the violence together with the Western Cape Government.
The City of Cape Town condemns the violence and disruption perpetrated by SANTACO associated drivers and operators today, following their call for a taxi stay away. We will work with the SAPS to enforce the law and hold anyone guilty of perpetrating public violence accountable. We will also not hesitate to lay a civil claim for any damages to infrastructure resulting from this strike.
While we respect the right to peaceful protest, violence and intimidation have no place in Cape Town. City authorities are on high alert and we will not accept the blockading of routes and violent intimidation of peaceful commuters and non-striking transport operators.
______________________________________________________________
Cape Town – #TaxiStrike #TaxiViolence
N2 Highway: FULL CLOSURE between the M5 Highway and Robert Sobukwe Road pic.twitter.com/iJNYi6eWiV
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) August 3, 2023
______________________________________________________________
Update:
Cape Town Traffic officers are affecting the following road closures:
- The N2 inbound is closed at Jakes Gerwel Drive.
- The N2 outbound is closed at the M5. Motorists travelling on the N2 are being diverted onto the M5 southbound.
- Jakes Gerwel Drive is closed between the R300 and Goven Mbeki.
_______________________________________________________________
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has condemned taxi strike violence and expressed concern that Police Minister Bheki Cele was involved in an industry meeting earlier today despite not being responsible for transport as a government minister.
_______________________________________________________________
Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen says over 1000 Law Enforcement Officers have been deployed to “strategic hot spots” to address the violence linked to a taxi strike.
He assures that his department is monitoring the situation. Allen has called the strike “unacceptable” and “illegal”.
____________________________________________________________
TRAFFIC LATEST: Cape Town CBD – HEAVY CONGESTION – HEAVY CONGESTION in the CBD area due to road closures and traffic restrictions for the Netball World Cup event plus impact of the taxi strike.
_________________________________________________________________
Cape Town taxi strike has started, until 10 August 2023.
VIDEOS RECEIVED VIA WHATSAPP FROM GROUPS#capetown #capetownnews #taxistrike #trafficproblems #goldenarrow #busses #taxis #southafrica pic.twitter.com/6mDG78GW9K
— Merentia v d Vent (@Merentia) August 3, 2023
_________________________________________________________________
According to the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, violent protests have erupted near the Khayelitsha taxi rank, a bus was set alight in Nyanga, while MyCiti bus passengers have been forced off busses.
Quintas adds that “two Law Enforcement vehicles have been stoned in Khayelitsha and the N2 outbound is currently blocked by slow moving minibus-taxis”.
“This is no longer a peaceful protest and we strongly condemn these actions” said Quintas in a statement. “There is absolutely no need to endanger human lives, nor for interfere with other vehicles on the road,” he said.
_________________________________________________________________
Update:
Cape Town Traffic officers are affecting the following road closures:
The N2 inbound and outbound is closed at Jakes Gerwel Drive.
The N2 outbound is closed at the M5. Motorists travelling on the N2 are being diverted onto the M5 southbound.
Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes and proceed with caution.
– Kevin Jacobs, Cape Town Traffic Services
_________________________________________________________________
The City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services are currently attending to incidents of public violence on the City’s freeways and major routes.
The following road closures are in effect:
- Jakes Gerwel Drive is closed at Bluegum in a northerly direction
- The N2 outbound is closed at the M5
- The N2 incoming is closed at Jakes Gerwel Drive
_________________________________________________________________
SANTACO Provincial Chairperson, Mandla Hermanus, reportedly said at a meeting of taxi operators on Thursday that traffic officials were impounding taxis ‘even in the case of a driver or commuter committing an offence’.
Addressing the provincial stay away in a statement, SANTACO said it was “left with no other option but to embark on this stay away due to the frivolous impoundment operations
run by Government”.
The impounding of taxis has had a “negative impact” on its operators and industry read the statement. “It must be noted that since the beginning of the year 6 000 taxis have been
impounded, which amounts to 1000 taxis a month,” SANTACO said.
_________________________________________________________________
All regions of SANTACO in the Western Cape have resolved to recall all taxis from operating as of this moment. #EnoughIsEnough
— SANTACO (@SA_Taxis) August 3, 2023
_________________________________________________________________
The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has ordered a halt to all taxi operations in the Western Cape with immediate effect. The announcement comes today (Thursday) in response to its battle with the City of Cape Town.
“Normal taxi operations will resume on the 10th of August 2023, after which we
will make further announcements on the way forward” said SANTACO in a statement.
