The Minister of Transport, Ms Dipuo Peters, calls for immediate seizer of violence, intimidation and vandalism on the eve of the taxi protest at Ethekwini, KwaZulu Natal.
The protest commenced yesterday, 21 September 2015, with taxi operators shutting down operations in the inner-city of Ethekwini.
Whilst acknowledging the right to protest by taxi operators, violence, degradation of property and the unnecessary maiming of other operators and members of the society is intolerable. There are set legal standards and procedures that taxi operators and the citizenry must comply with when engaged in a protest. These standards and procedures must be observed without any fail because they have legal consequences.
What is more concerning is that the protest has circumvented the fundamental human rights of some members of the society to use alternative means of transport and state of peace, safety and security.
Furthermore, violence and crime affects the productivity of the society thereby disturbing schooling, business and access to basic essential services, such as health care services.
As government, we want to assure the taxi operators at Ethekwini and South Africa in general that there are national, provincial as well as municipal consultations that are currently taking place with SANTACO with an intention to address the concerns as raised by the sector.
Minister Peters calls upon SANTACO to ensure that it engage its members and the taxi industry as a whole to refrain from any acts of violence, intimidation and crime.
The Minister calls upon all law enforcement agencies to ensure that they arrest perpetrators of this gruesome act of violence, and she congratulates them for the arrest that have already been made.
Members of the community who have information regarding these incidences of violence or information regarding the instigators of this violence must contact their immediate Police Station.
As government, we remain resolute to provide a safe, reliable and cost effective public transport service, characterised by the Batho Pele principles and in-line with the fundamental human rights as encapsulated in the Constitution of South Africa.
Enquiries:
Ishmael Mnisi
Cell: 072 566 0827
