As Johannesburg temperatures hit a boiling 31 degrees on Wednesday‚ Grade 8 pupil Esther Mdunyelwa and her schoolmates will walk for almost an hour to school due to a taxi strike.

Unlike many taxi commuters who opted to remain at home today‚ the girls have to be at school because they must write their final exam at midday.

The Tetelo Secondary School pupils usually travel to school by taxi. They say they were not aware that services were temporarily suspended.

“Taxi drivers should have informed us two weeks in advance that they were going on strike‚ so we can make alternative arrangements. Now we have to walk in this heat for more than an hour. By the time we get to school‚ we will be exhausted. This might affect our performance. It’s really unfair‚” Mdunyelwa said.

Mdunyelwa and her peers said they were writing Technology on Wednesday. They decided to walk instead of hiking because they fear travelling with strangers.

Taxi services are not operating in the entire Soweto as local affiliates joined in the National Taxi Alliance strike.

The alliance is marching to the office of the minister of transport in Tshwane and the Union Buildings over licensing and operating permits.

Several roads in Tshwane are affected. Motorists were urged to use alternative routes.

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said invigilators would accommodate pupils who might come late for their exams.

“It is concerning and unfortunate that such activities continue to be organised during this critical period of examinations in the education environment. Actually such activities subvert the country‚” he said.

Gauteng police spokesman Lungelo Dlamini said three taxi operators participating in the strike have been arrested for different offences.

“Two taxi drivers were arrested this morning in Johannesburg for assaulting a traffic officer who was trying to remove taxis that had blocked a busy lane‚” Dlamini said.

“Another taxi driver was arrested in Tshwane for reckless driving. He was driving in an oncoming lane and ended up causing an accident that left four people injured.”

Baracity Taxi Owners Association (BTOA) secretary Themba Mbense said commuters were informed days ago about the strike and were advised to make alternative arrangements.

The association apologised to commuters who have been inconvenienced.

“It’s unfortunate that the government we voted for continues to neglect the taxi industry. These are old issues and should have been long addressed to improve the industry‚” Mbense said.