Long-distance taxi strike off to a rocky start on day 2

The strike by long distance taxi drivers in Durban entered its second day on Tuesday as more disputes over operating licences emerged.

The Durban Long Distance Taxi Association (DLDTA) blockaded major intersections in the city on Tuesday as part of its protest against impounding of vehicles by the KwaZulu-Natal transport department's public enforcement programme, Operation Shanela, and issues concerning permits.

Durban metro police spokesperson Col Boysie Zungu confirmed taxi operators engaged in a “peaceful strike” but blockaded intersections around Durban station in Umgeni, Johannes Nkosi and Mathews Meyiwa roads. He said there had been no reported cases of damage to property.

Transport MEC Siboniso Duma confirmed there were 115 driving permits which were uncollected and urged operators to collect them as a number of them were expiring.

However, operators have refused to collect the permits, claiming there are discrepancies with them.

Mcabangeni Nala of the DLDTA told TimesLIVE the bone of contention was the department excluding some routes they have been operating with the permits for years.

“Why would we not collect our permits when we have to pay R18,000 instalments every month for taxis that are not working but are impounded instead? That is because there are discrepancies with the permits, chief among them being the exclusion of some routes that we’ve been operating on and have agreements with the taxi associations from those areas,” he said.

“No taxi owner would allow their permit to expire. Even if we were to collect them today, Shanela will wait for you on the routes that are not in the permit to impound your vehicle and we will be back to where we are. They should do the right thing.”

The routes are the Durban and district taxi association’s route to Pietermaritzburg and the DLDTA’s route to Kranskop.

“We meet all the requirements for the permits but they are not ready from the department’s side. We don’t understand why the department wants to impound our taxis when they are the same people who are at fault regarding the permits.”

Nala said the association also took offence after Duma allegedly claimed on local radio stations on Monday that they were using strong-arm tactics to take over the Kranskop route.

“We’ve been operating on the Kranskop route for years and they want us to cancel it. That is our route. We want it.”

TimesLIVE saw a reciprocal agreement between the DLDTA and the Kranskop Long and Local Taxi Association (KLLTA) signed in 2007 and another confirming the ongoing agreement dated August 28 2024, which is signed by the KLLTA chairperson.

Sunnyboy Dlamini, KLLTA spokesperson, confirmed they have a working agreement with the DLDTA in Durban and refuted there were attempts to take over of the route.

“I can’t comment on what the MEC might have allegedly said but we have an agreement with the Durban association. They have an agreement with us, as do we with them. There is nothing regarding the taking over of our route.”

Another taxi owner, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed the department’s actions might be motivated by politics.

He said Duma had only met once with them and a follow-up meeting has never materialised.

“He is playing politics, he doesn’t want to attend to our problems. We just want to do our work. Operation Shanela is making things difficult but we think there is more to it. If you go to Kranskop, they will tell you we have a working agreement with them and we haven’t had any difficulties.”

They suspected Duma might have consulted “someone” who gave him inaccurate feedback about them and how they operate.

He also refuted a lack of permits would spark violence among taxi drivers.

“We don’t use permits among each other. It’s only Operation Shanela who wants those. If I drive to Nongoma, their association chair will not ask for any permit. He will only want to see the passenger list, which shows I got permission from Durban to operate,” he said.

“They have a bad tendency of wanting to dictate how we should work whereas this is an industry they found us in. For them to make wise decisions, they should first understand how it works.”

Providing an update on Tuesday, Duma reiterated there were permits waiting for collection in Pietermaritzburg.

He maintained the department would not give out permits to unroadworthy vehicles and those who want to “take over others routes”.

“The owners of taxis who are not operating know how that will affect them because this is a sector that must develop. Work must go on and Operation Shanela will continue doing its work. If they must impound vehicles they will do so to ensure the safety of commuters during the holiday season.”

Duma’s spokesperson did not respond to questions about the DLDTA’s allegations that some routes were missing from permits and a request for clarity on the Kranskop route issue.

TimesLIVE