A crippling taxi strike by the KwaDabeka and Clermont Taxi Association entered its second day yesterday, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and overspending on alternative transport amid a fierce dispute with eThekwini metro police.
The association halted all operations on Tuesday following a violent altercation with e-hailing drivers last week, which required police intervention after assaults were reported. The central point of contention, however, is the impoundment of vehicles by city authorities.
Taxi industry representative Santo accused metro police of seizing their vehicles unfairly. “A number of our taxis have been impounded. This is done despite the fact that others have valid permits,” Santo stated, claiming their efforts to resolve the impasse have been unsuccessful. The association is demanding the immediate release of approximately 20 taxis.
The impact on residents has been severe. One commuter expressed the collective frustration, saying, “We are actually overspending on our pockets at the moment because of the strike. So it’s affecting us in a very huge matter.” The resident added a plea to both parties: “We are requesting them to sit down, resolve the issue and allow us to use the taxi as we have been doing that.”
The eThekwini Municipality has firmly refuted the taxi association’s claims. Metropolitan police officials stated that the impounded taxis did not have valid operating permits, contradicting the owners’ assertions. Authorities maintain that the enforcement action is legal and justified.
In an effort to break the deadlock, an urgent meeting between taxi representatives and metro authorities was scheduled for yesterday afternoon. The outcome of those talks remains crucial for the thousands of commuters awaiting a resolution to the disruptive strike.
