The United Democratic Movement has called for urgent intervention in the current spate of taxi violence afflicting Mthatha and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape.
The appeal from UDM secretary-general, Bongani Msomi, onFriday, came as police had to intervene to stop people barricading roads leading into and out of Mthatha.
“It has been more than three weeks since police commissioner Bheki Cele made the decision to suspend operations. He promised that systems would be put in place to provide commuters with alternative means of transport,” Msomi said.
“Nothing had happened and the situation is getting worse day by day. Even after the ban was relaxed to school transport, thousands of learners are still struggling to get to their schools,” he added.
Msomi said that the local economy “has taken a dive sinceMthatha has become a ghost town”, adding that “to make matters worse, the taxi operators are planning to shut down the Mthatha Central Business District on Monday, the 16th of April, 2018.”
Msomi said that the UDM is calling for the intervention of national government since the provincial and local authorities are showing signs of failing to contain the situation at hand.
“It cannot be business as usual while our people are suffering,” he said.
The protest comes in the wake of the suspension of taxi operations and the closure of public transport facilities including taxi ranks by Police Minister, Bheki Cele and Eastern Cape police management last month.
Cele's decision came in a bid to stem the number of deaths from ongoing taxi violence which had already left 60 people dead since it flared up in 2016.
Recently the Eastern Cape Department of Transport relaxed some of the restrictions imposed on taxi operators to allow for the transportation of children when schools reopened.
Earlier on Friday, Eastern CapeTransport MEC, Weziwe Tikana, condemned the “closure of strategic entry points into the Mthatha CBD.”
Her official spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, said that (by mid-morning) police had diffused the situation.
"Law enforcement officers will continue to be on high alert to ensure that the situation is under control. We are also appealing to motorists to be vigilant as we have received reports that there are plans to close other areas in and around Mthatha," she said.
Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Swart, assured residents that police were committed to ensuring that everyone in the affected area is safe.
"The protection of our citizens and their property is of utmost importance and we will undertake this task with vehemence. Our mandate also extends to protecting our law enforcement officials as well as the property of the State,” he said.
