Ekurhuleni taxi associations commit to peaceful operations

Department of Roads and Transport 2019/12/18 - 23:00



The Greater Germiston and Zonkizizwe Taxi Associations, in the City of Ekurhuleni, have signed a landmark agreement committing to end ongoing tensions between the two associations following months of unrest.

As both associations operate on the route between Germiston and Zonkizizwe, they have agreed to operate on a 50/50 basis and work together to end violence that has plagued the area over the past months.

MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo has acted as a mediator over the past two months. The peace pact was finally brokered in Johannesburg on 18 December 2019.

The parties committed to cease hostilities and establish a joint monitoring team to evaluate and intervene swiftly in ensuring the agreement is implemented. They also agreed that parties will report disputes to South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (GNTA) provincial leadership and only escalate issues to the MEC as a last resort.

Expressing his gratitude after the agreement was signed, the MEC said “I sincerely thank the two associations and the leadership of both their mother bodies, the GNTA and the SANTACO, for helping us in facilitating a conversation amongst the two associations. We have avoided a lot of bloodshed with the signing of this agreement”.

The disagreement stems from sharing certain routes, with each accusing the other of picking up passengers in areas where their operating licences do not allow and thus encroaching on others’ routes.

MEC Mamabolo also thanked both the associations for not engaging in violence during the period of negotiations. “Their leadership shows that the taxi industry can resolve most of its problems by sitting around the table and talking. Violence is never the answer”.

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Tags: MEC Mamabolo taxi violence Zonkizizwe: Germiston GNTA SANTACO

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