Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
21 November 2022 |  10:00 pm CAT

PICTURE: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES

As Taxis embark on a two-day strike across the Western Cape, pandemonium has broken out in Cape Town. This Monday morning, a Golden Arrow bus and a MyCity bus were torched in Khayelitsha, allegedly by members embarking on the taxi strike.

Radio Islam International discusses the morning chaos witnessed with Western Cape Journalist Sawmiet Moos.

Due to the SANTACO strike, no public taxis were operational, resulting in the load being carried by the Golden Arrow bus and charter services.

According to Moos, bus rides were available to get staff from their residential areas to the CBD and other industrial areas.

This followed the torching of one bus with a petrol bomb, a second being hijacked and two more busses left gutted, one of which is a sizeable MyCity bus.

Praising the efforts of law enforcement agencies, SAPS and the Local Metro Police and Law Enforcement Moos say, “JP Smith has reported that three arrests have been made.”

Meanwhile, the reasons behind the taxi strikes are multiple.

According to Moos, the significant factors driving the taxi drivers towards striking include the suspension of the blue dot service that incentivises good driver behaviour.

He said the second challenge stems from a problem taxi drivers have with impounding vehicles.

According to Moos, several construction companies had their staff work extra hours since Friday, when the strike became a reality, to compensate for these missed days.

The strikes have also impacted school and University kids. Late yesterday the Western Cape education department issued a call to the schools to ensure the assistance of school kids, mainly the matriculants. However, many of the students were unable to pitch at all.

Listen below to the podcast with Annisa Essack and Journalist Sawmiet Moos.