Cabinet condemns violence and anarchy in Cape Town: Ntshavheni

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet has directed transport minister Sindi Chikunga to ensure that any taxi-operating conditions that contradict the law are removed. 

Briefing the media in Pretoria on Thursday, minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said cabinet was briefed on Tuesday about the impasse between the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town.

This is after the impounding of taxis by the City of Cape Town led to a violent strike which has resulted in the deaths of about five people. 

Among those killed is a 40-year-old British national, who was shot dead on Thursday last week, police minister Bheki Cele said in a media briefing on Tuesday. 

Ntshavheni said: “Cabinet condemns the violence and anarchy in Cape Town and has called on Santaco to ensure that its protest action is peaceful and does not interfere with the rights of others. In this regard, we have noted that there were no violent incidents in the last 48 hours.” 

However, she said the police and other law enforcement agencies have been directed to ensure the violent situation is under control to allow residents safe movement to school, work and their normal daily activities.

“Cabinet was also briefed about the City of Cape Town’s imposing of taxi operating conditions which are at variance with both the National Road Traffic, 1996 (Act 93 of 1996) and the National Land Transport Act, 2009 (Act 5 of 2009), which regulate the traffic offences and applicable penalties, including the impounding of vehicles.”

TimesLIVE reported that Santaco was continuing with the strike on Thursday. The decision followed a meeting between Santaco and Chikunga, who insists the City of Cape Town must release all “illegally impounded taxis”. 

Santaco said it would seek a court interdict to compel the city to release its taxis, and the strike would continue until this process is complete.

Ramaphosa used a Women's Day commemoration ceremony at the Union Buildings on Wednesday to call for calm. 

“We strongly condemn the violence and destruction caused by this dispute. We are appalled by the killings and assaults that have taken place because women have also been injured in all of this.

“Blocked roads that lead to blocked businesses, blocked education and blocked health services impede the services that should be given to the women of our country as well.

“We must uphold the law and we must solve problems through meaningful dialogue. Dialogue is the best way of resolving problems,” he said.