Amid fears of ongoing taxi-related violence, the City’s Safety and Security Services, along with the SAPS, will have high visibility and drone surveillance across Cape Town.

READ MORE: City says taxi violence stem from Delft, Khayelitsha and Somerset West routes – Smile 90.4FM

Urban Mobility chief, Rob Quintas, said boots will be on the ground from early Thursday morning at Public Transport Interchanges to ensure the safety of commuters.

“We will work to ensure that commuters can get to their places of work and education or wherever their destination is without fear of harassment or violence from criminal elements within the taxi industry. Our commuters deserve safety and protection from needless risk on their daily commutes,” said Quintas.

As at 07:42 on 29 October, Quintas confirmed that no conflict-related incidents had been reported. He further urged the public to verify any information they receive through official channels to avoid the spread of false news.

This comes as the taxi representative body, SANTACO in the Western Cape, is expected to meet with leaders in the industry. The Khayelitsha Development Forum, which condemned the violence, advised that stakeholders and taxi associations, CATA and CODETA, would be meeting on Thursday morning, and spokesperson Mawande Jara urged all involved to engage constructively and bring an end to the violence.

“We are very much disturbed by the fact we are losing lives on a daily basis, whenever they are fighting. We call on them to find ways of resolving the matter… They are leaders, we expect them to provide leadership, especially during this difficult period,” said Jara.

Meanwhile, the Western Cape Education Department is also monitoring the situation, which MEC Jaco Londt said is to ensure learners writing exams are not negatively affected.

He said there were heightened concerns for learners travelling to and from school, especially on Wednesday, when thousands of matric candidates were scheduled to write their English exam. He noted that only a small group of candidates had to write in a different exam venue, as a result of the violence.

However, he said it is “deeply unfortunate” that learners are facing added stress and pressure due to measures outside of their control.

“Our candidates should be able to focus on their examinations without having to worry about whether they can get to their examination venue safely. We appeal to all parties involved to ensure that calm prevails and that there is no repeat of this violence. Thousands of candidates are currently writing examinations that will have a significant bearing on their futures, and they must be able to travel to and from their examination centres safely and without disruption,” said Londt.

He urged learners to leave home earlier than usual, where possible, to ensure that they avoid transport delays or disruptions.

“If a candidate is unable to safely reach their registered examination centre because of an emergency, they should contact their school immediately to alert them to the situation and any possible delays… Candidates who experience circumstances beyond their control are allowed up to an hour after the commencement of the examination to arrive and be admitted to the examination venue.”

At the same time, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has urged the public to help find the perpetrators of the recent deadly violence, adding that the City will offer the SAPS any assistance needed.

“SAPS can rest assured they have our metro’s full policing support, including safety camera footage and surveillance technology, as well as direct boots on the ground. Our officers are maintaining a heightened presence in the vicinity of various public transport interchanges to protect commuters and monitor the situation. The City will act to uphold the rule of law and support police to bring these violent criminals to book. I call on taxi industry leaders to rise above the violence and ensure peace and calm prevails,” said Hill-Lewis.

*This article has been updated to include the latest update by Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, on the situation on the ground.