Taxi operators in stand-off with KZN police over permits

Long-distance taxi operators at odds with KwaZulu-Natal traffic police staged an impromptu protest in Durban on Monday, leaving commuters stranded.

The strike action is due to problems over permits between the long-distance taxi industry and the provincial department’s unit known as Operation Shanela, which resulted in several taxis being impounded in the northern areas, mainly Empangeni, Ulundi, Newcastle and Vryheid.

“The issue is the way the way Operation Shanela continues harassing us in this province. They continue impounding taxis while not making it any easier to get permits.

“In Ulundi, Empangeni and Vryheid, they impounded more than 50 taxis in the last few weeks. We just want permits and for Shanela to stop harassing us, that’s all,” said Thokozani Nala from the Durban Long Distance Taxi Association.

Nala said they felt the unit was focusing more on disrupting their operations rather than helping resolve conflicts within the taxi industry, which was why it was established.

“There is no violence within the Long-Distance Taxi Association. Everything else is going as it should aside from Shanela. They were supposed to help us but now they are proving a hindrance.”

The entrances to the Durban station and YMCA long-distance taxi ranks were blockaded by taxis while several were parked in First Avenue in Greyville.

This affected scores of commuters travelling to Gauteng, northern KwaZulu-Natal and countries like Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho.

Siyabonga Mndaba, travelling to Richards Bay, said he only found out taxis were not operating when he got to the rank. 

“I’ve been here for hours, I wanted to go early because I still have to take another taxi home from town when I get to Richards Bay — as do most of us here. I haven’t been home in a long time ... so I will wait for as long as it takes and hope that the issue is resolved, whatever it may be,” he said.

“I heard there’s a meeting taking place in Pietermaritzburg to find a solution to this so I’m still hopeful that everything will be sorted out today [Monday]. I just wish it’s done before it gets late.”

Luyanda Mabuza, who is travelling from Inanda to Swaziland, said she was disappointed by the lack of communication.

“This is frustrating, honestly, because we are not treated like paying customers in the taxis. They are well within their rights to strike for whatever reason but they should let us know prior for both our safety and convenience. They are a big industry, they should start operating like one,” she said.

KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Siboniso Duma had to cut short a working trip to Johannesburg to meet operators in Pietermaritzburg.

Ndabezinhle Sibiya, Duma’s spokesperson, said they met with the Durban Station Taxi Association a few weeks ago, when it was agreed operators would collect more than 115 permits, which had not been collected.

Sibiya said 84 of the permits would expire within 60 days if they were not collected, while nine had already expired.

“We have faced challenges in KwaZulu-Natal over the years but it is through collective wisdom that we’ve been able to resolve them, so let us work hand-in-hand to ensure prosperity — and the taxi industry is very important for the prosperity of the province,” he said.

Nala said he was disappointed with how Duma has handled the matter, saying he had not been “on the ground” to engage them about their challenges but had spoken to “a select group at the top”.

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