eThekwini Metro Police enforce taxi permit regulations amid protests

eThekwini metro police stood firm in their mandate to maintain law and order in the city, in spite of the Clermont KwaDabeka Taxi Owners Association suspending their services yesterday, which left thousands of commuters stranded.

The taxi protest action was in response to metro police impounding 25 taxis last week that were found to be in breach of regulations, in that they were operating without valid permits.

Metro police dug in their heels and were not prepared to backtrack on their stance and release the impounded vehicles.

The unit's spokesperson, Boysie Zungu, said that the metro police would not allow taxis to disregard the city's bylaws and operate without authentic permits.

Last week's operation happened near the Kranskloof Hostel, known as KK, in KwaDabeka, following the violence that flared up due to turf war clashes between taxi operators and e-hailing drivers.

Zungu told the Daily News that they were due to meet with taxi operators yesterday; however, it could not take place due to the protest.

“We had a meeting on Monday, and we were supposed to continue from where we stopped. We are waiting for them (taxi operators) to come back to us.

"We are assisting taxi operators who have received their receipts for the renewal of permits and those who have applied for new car registrations, which would differ based on the registration changes,” he said.

Zungu emphasised that the Metro Police were not in a position to assist those operators who did not have permits to operate on routes, and such issues would have to be resolved in courts.

The Association announced the shutdown on Monday and issued a notice to commuters that no taxis would be available on Tuesday.

Many commuters, mostly workers and scholars, were left scrambling to find alternative means to arrive at their respective destinations. Some were forced to walk a long distance to the nearby industrial hub of New Germany to reach their workplaces, while others trekked to Pinetown in search of connecting transport to Durban, Westville, and other areas.

The strike also affected school transport services, with many operators informing parents that they would not be available due to safety reasons.

For those forced to rely on e-hailing services, the steep demand drove fares sharply higher, with the cost of a trip between Clermont and Pinetown spiking to between R211 and R250.

The taxi association has not indicated when services are expected to resume, while the metro police stated that the impounded vehicles would not be released until proper operating permits were produced.

Transport MEC Siboniso Duma said he was aware of Monday’s meeting between the municipality and the association. Duma stated that he had assigned officials from his office to Clermont to gain firsthand knowledge of what was happening on the ground.

“Last night (Monday), we were informed by eThekwini's metro police that its management met with the Clermont and KwaDabeka Taxi Association.

"Both parties discussed many challenges related to taxi operations and law enforcement and agreed on how to resolve these challenges,” the MEC stated.

Duma was confident that both parties would find amicable solutions. “It is unfortunate that passengers and community members, including students, have been inconvenienced,” said Duma, whose Provincial Regulatory Entity officials would monitor developments and keep him informed.

DAILY NEWS