Durban — The SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) in KwaZulu-Natal has distanced itself from taxi associations which are allegedly harassing and intimidating lift clubs.
The council was responding to the concern raised by a motorist from KwaNdengezi township, west of Durban, who wrote to the Daily News asking for the council, police and Department of Transport’s intervention in the province.
The motorist said taxi owners are conducting illegal roadblocks in the morning where they stop cars and pull out passengers, claiming that motorists were killing their businesses.
The motorist who could not be named for his own safety said taxi people are demanding a “fine” of R5 000 from the motorists who were found with another person in his or her car or they impound the car.
Santaco spokesperson in the province, Sifiso Shangase, condemned the incident, saying his organisation was distancing itself from such acts.
He said people are free to use their choice of transport and no one should harass or intimidate them.
“In these bad economic times in the country where the cost of living is too high people have resorted to lift clubs and there is nothing wrong with that because they have the right to use their choice of transport mode,” said Shangase.
Although lift clubs have always been there, they became more prevalent after the recent high increase in petrol which was followed by a high taxi fare increase. With trains not running since the April floods, people were forced to look for other alternative transport to taxis.
Taxi associations especially around Durban have been increasing with R1 annually but some have recently increased fares by as much as R5. Commuters complain that even if petrol price decreases fares do not go down.
Meanwhile, motorists can breathe a sigh of relief this week as petrol is expected to drop by more than R2 a litre.
Daily News