LETTER: Opposition parties inflamed the tension in Cape Town

Bereft of any ideas or tangible policy offers for residents in the Western Cape, some opposition political parties sought to inflame tensions by encouraging lawlessness in the just-ended taxi strike.

With Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis rightly saying the rule of law was not up for negotiation, Gayton Mackenzie of the Patriotic Alliance played the populist card in direct contradiction with the law. Using his social media account on the X platform, he demanded “the release [of] all impounded taxis”, conveniently ignoring that they had broken the law.

In his reckless attempt to endear himself to those who were breaking the law, never once did he extend his sympathies to the families of the five people who were murdered during the strike. He didn’t care about the reign of terror that was unleashed on our highways, or the extensive damage to property.

Not to be outdone, a Cape Town councillor representing the Good Party, Jonathan Cupido, amplified an obvious lie by transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga. In a statement he released in support of Santaco, Cupido expressed support for Chikunga’s reckless statement demanding the release of all impounded vehicles without any conditions. Cupido did not care that Chikunga’s statement was inflammatory and incorrect as long as it served his narrow political interest.

Now that Santaco has agreed that impounded taxis will only be released if they did not commit specific offences, will Cupido withdraw his ill-advised statement? He obviously won’t because politics of convenience, not the rule of law, is what he was after.

Martinus de Vos
Sea Point

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