By Anita Dangazele
- SANTACO Gauteng and the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance have withdrawn their threat to shut down taxi services across the province.
- The two sides will meet again within 14 days to resolve outstanding issues, including delays in collecting operating licences.
Gauteng’s taxi industry has called off its threatened province-wide shutdown, after what it described as a constructive meeting with Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela on Thursday.
SANTACO Gauteng and the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance had given Premier Panyaza Lesufi seven days to intervene, warning their relationship with the MEC had “seemingly irretrievably broken down” and threatening a shutdown that could have stranded millions of commuters.
The industry had accused the MEC of bypassing its elected leadership structures by dealing directly with individual taxi associations.
Both sides have now agreed to meet again within 14 days to resolve outstanding issues.
GNTA Gauteng chairperson Mpho Motsepe said the two sides had “found one another” and would work to sort out scheduling problems and a backlog of operating licences that had been issued but never collected by operators.
Commuters have been assured that taxi services will continue as normal, with no route disruptions or service suspensions.
Theo Malele, national spokesperson for the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance, apologised for any uncertainty the dispute may have caused.
“The industry has deliberately chosen the path of dialogue because commuters should not be disadvantaged while discussions continue,” he said.
Diale-Tlabela said her department’s engagement with taxi operators falls within its constitutional mandate, and that established structures, including quarterly meetings with provincial taxi leadership, remain the preferred way to resolve disputes.
“Our shared goal is a safe, reliable and accessible public transport system for all,” she said.
Pictured above:Gauteng taxi shutdown is no longer on the cards after talks with Transport MEC.
Image source: File
