Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Western Cape education department has recorded a decrease in pupils forced to stay away from school due to the ongoing taxi protest.
According to department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond, it recorded 5 000 absenteeism incidents due to the taxi blockades.
The numbers decreased during the week, with 3 200 absenteeism incidents recorded on Friday.
The protest prevented thousands of Cape Town pupils from getting to school and caused illegal blockades, which were aimed at forcing children not to use scholar transport.
Among other issues, the taxi industry claimed it had a meeting with the department to look at the issue of scholar transport and the department promised it a series of additional meetings to consult and sort out the issue.
However, the discussions never materialised.
The department, however, rubbished the claims made by the taxi association, saying it had demanded that transport contracts be allocated to it without following tender processes.
On Friday, Education MEC David Maynier approached the Western Cape High Court to obtain an urgent interdict against the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta), preventing it from obstructing, interfering, and stopping the transporting of pupils within the Western Cape.
He also asked the court to interdict the taxi association and its members from issuing threats to learner transport scheme drivers, pupils, and members of the public.
“The court recognised the urgency of the matter. Codeta has backed down and agreed to an interim arrangement whereby they will suspend their illegal blockade of our learner transport scheme operators until such time as the matter can be heard before the court,” Maynier said in a statement.
He added he had also laid a criminal complaint with the police against the minibus taxi associations currently preventing children from getting to school.
Santaco had planned a national stayaway for Wednesday, 22 February.
According to the association, no cars should operate on the day, and all minibus taxis should be parked at either taxi ranks or at home.
“Please do not engage in any acts of violence, intimidation or destruction,” the poster read.
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