Ethekwini municipality and transport officials will meet taxi bosses on Tuesday afternoon about grievances against metro police.
|||Ethekwini municipality and transport officials will meet taxi bosses on Tuesday afternoon about grievances against the metro police, a municipal spokesman said.
“The meeting will address the issues raised by taxi drivers in their memorandum,” said Thabo Mofokeng.
Earlier, KwaZulu-Natal Transport Alliance chairman Eugene Hadebe announced that taxis would not operate in Durban on Wednesday.
“The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, but because of the recent announcement by taxi operators and drivers we have brought it forward,” Mofokeng said.
Drivers first went on strike on May 17, complaining that Durban metro police were targeting them when issuing traffic fines.
They handed a memorandum to the eThekwini municipality, but had not received a response by the time they called off the strike on May 20.
There was a strong police presence when taxi operators and drivers gathered in Durban on Tuesday.
Hadebe advised commuters to find other means of transport on Wednesday. Drivers and operators would not pose a threat to buses and trains, he said.
The taxi drivers want traffic tickets to be issued in isiZulu, and demand the cancellation of all warrants of arrest.
They further seek an end to traffic enforcement during morning and afternoon peak hours.
Other demands include that no Indians or whites write tickets because some taxi drivers do not speak English, and that drivers be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers anywhere.
During earlier protests 60 people were arrested for public violence.
Forty-six of them appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court last Monday and were released on bail of R1500 each. The others were released without being charged. - Sapa