Africa-Press – South-Africa. The SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) is not happy about the latest impoundment of minibus taxis and has vowed to approach the courts to interdict the City of Cape Town.
Taxi officials under Santaco were on Monday locked in urgent talks after 14 taxis were impounded over the weekend by the City despite an agreement in place to end the impoundment of taxis for minor offences.
Santaco staged an eight-day strike earlier this month against the City impounding dozens of vehicles over a range of infractions, including number plates not being displayed, taxi operators claimed.
Santaco insiders told News24 that the association was not happy with the latest impoundments, but quickly dismissed claims of possible strike action.
Santaco secretary Ryno Saaiers said on Monday evening that the council’s provincial executive committee mostly covered internal issues.
“The impoundments of the weekend, where vehicles were impounded under cases not covered under the agreement, were discussed,” he said.
Part of the agreement was that the Minibus Taxi Task Team – made up of representatives from the City, the Western Cape government and Santaco – must finalise a list of major and minor offences for which vehicles can either be impounded or fined.
The task team is scheduled to meet on Tuesday without Santaco after the council requested a postponement.
“This was needed to allow the leadership to engage with the members as to what precisely was agreed upon in the agreement with the government,” Saaiers said.
He added that a court intervention would be explored.
“Court intervention on issues of the dispute between the parties was tabled, and it was agreed that this option should still be explored,” he said.
Western Cape MEC of Mobility Ricardo Mackenzie told News24 on Tuesday: “Santaco Western Cape sent a request yesterday for this meeting to be rescheduled as they need to engage the primary associations regarding the impoundments of the past weekend. We are in the process of identifying a new date for the task team meeting.”
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