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TRAFFIC TENSIONS: Members of the KwaZulu Self-Protection Force lead a march in central Johannesburg organised by the SA Taxi Passengers Association. Satapa is calling for taxis to use BRT-dedicated lanes and for law enforcement agencies not to stop taxis when they are ferrying people to work. Photo: Mabuti Kali

 Marchers give list of demands to transport department 

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Yesterday, taxi commuters in Johannesburg were left stranded after taxi associations joined the strike organised by the South African Taxi Passengers Association (Satapa).

In the Johannesburg CBD commuters had to use metered taxis, which charged passengers double the normal fare, while others packed the backs of vans, trying to get to work on time.

Satapa was supported by the United Taxi Associations Front (Utaf) which enjoys support from 23 taxi associations.

The two organisations marched to the Gauteng department of roads and transport where they handed over a memorandum to the department head, Mavela Dlamini.

Satapa demanded, among others, that taxis ferrying people to work should not be stopped during peak hours.

"If they want to get the taxis, they know where they are found - at a taxi rank," said Satapa president Phillip Dhlamini.

But JMPD spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said: "That is not what the law says. People cannot just decide that we must ignore laws.

"This country has laws and we are the enforcers of the laws.

"When they drive people to work quite a number of them experience accidents. So at the time when they are ferrying people it is the time we are supposed to make sure that they are doing the right thing," Mamonyane said.

Satapa also demanded that passengers be subsidised and for taxis to be allowed to use the BRT-dedicated lanes.

Both Satapa and Utaf said if their demands were not met by the provincial department, they would then escalate the matter to the national Department of Transport.

City of Joburg spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane said buses run on dedicated routes to ensure speed of service.

Modingoane said the city had had meetings with Satapa where a concept of managed lanes to alleviate congestion was presented.

"Opening Rea Vaya lanes to taxis will have a negative impact on the concept of a mass transit system and cannot be encouraged," he said

Comments

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Mon May 20 08:23:52 SAST 2013 ::

May 15, 2012

molefelives

How things can be funny in this country!!
It is like saying do not arrest me while I drink openly in the street
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May 15, 2012

Mosquer

It seems as if taxi association are heard when striking, so I suggest they must toi toi for petrol to be reduced
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May 15, 2012

Jonsi

There is no sense in this whole thing.These guys have realised that the government is too linient towards them,now they want to take advantage of that. If they want to use the reavaya routes what if they get conjested? it means they can always come back to the other routes, and whats then the point? You give them the hand they want the whole arm. Right now they were given grace on e-tolling but they want more.
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May 15, 2012

MommaC

We need a decent, reliable, safe, affordable public transport system or these bully boys are going to be holding us to ransom for many moons to come.
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May 15, 2012

truthhurt

Arrest all those f.o.o.l!
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May 15, 2012

Lojech1

I like democracy, freedom of speech. they want to be immune from the law.
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May 15, 2012

KatakataEmaotoAditshepe

The results of businesses run by under developed rura areas people from KZN ,they always make their clients suffer instead of facing gov.Stupidity rules people banna.
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May 15, 2012

sabza007

Who would really take a day off to toy toy on the street on behalf on taxi warlords? The people that we saw on the news carrying cards and toy toying, are they really employed? or our grannies and unemployed people who claim to use taxis daily were used?.

No car moving on any South African road/ground is immune to be stopped and searched if there is a reason or need for that.
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May 15, 2012

DA-DBN-GUY

DZEL

How is this march solving the real problems of the country?
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May 15, 2012

Bdoobs

'Don't stop taxis at rush hour'...?

Are they mad? Telling the police how and when to police...
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