Africa-Press – South-Africa. The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Western Cape has suspended its eight-day strike following deliberations with the City of Cape Town and the provincial government on Thursday afternoon.
Santaco said it would resume its operations on Friday after the parties involved in the “painstaking deliberations” resolved to release minibus taxis that were “wrongly impounded” in the next two weeks.
The taxi association said this move was significant in restoring trust and its operations.
The strike, which emanated from a disagreement on the legislation governing the impounding of vehicles, saw stranded commuters make alternative travel arrangements, with some walking long distances to and from work.
It also resulted in food shortages in some supermarkets and sporadic incidents of violence, which claimed the lives of five people.
On Wednesday, Santaco extended the strike and informed its operators that it had appointed a lawyer to file for an interdict to release all impounded vehicles.
It also wanted the City and the Western Cape Department of Mobility to stop impounding taxis until the parties reached a resolution.
Santaco’s provincial chairperson, Mandla Hermus, said there were outstanding issues that Santaco and the City had not agreed on, although the parties agreed on the fundamental issues.
“We will move forward. Our operators should be on the road, and we apologise to the public for the distress and inconvenience that the stayaway has caused,” he said.
Santaco said it was unfortunate that the tensions between it and the City affected the commuters it claimed to prioritise.
“It deeply saddens and disappoints us that it took this long for all parties to find a resolution. The wellbeing of our community and the public at large has always been our top priority, and it pains us to witness the unnecessary pain and suffering that transpired,” the organisation said.
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