Cape Town - Newly-appointed Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie’s first task on the job was averting the planned South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) strike this week.
Mackenzie jumps in during a critical time as transport is faced with challenges including the fast approaching taxi industry strike which may see thousands of people across the province being stranded.
He took over Daylin Mitchell who was elected Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP).
First on his agenda was to arrange a meeting with Santaco leadership on Tuesday and discuss their grievances.
“I’m hopeful that after we engage, the stay away will be averted. We want to ensure that people get to work safely and in reliable transport. When a province is faced with an industrial action or demonstration like the one planned it can affect the economy. I’m happy that Sanatco agreed to the meeting and expressed keenness to listen which will bring together all stakeholders.
“This comes as our rail system is also still dysfunctional. This morning I commuted with a train which had 40 minute delays. Commuters are extremely unhappy and these things are driving customers away from public transport. We need to fix the public transport and get our commuters back,” he said.
Mackenzie was DA’s spokesperson for transport and previously chaired both the Premier and Constitutional matters, and the Transport and Public Works standing committees, but was removed during a reshuffle last year.
Premier Alan Winde said Mackenzie stepped in as they were establishing a new mobility department, which will be fully operational on April 1.
“Mackenzie is a seasoned and dedicated public servant, passionate about transport-related issues. With him as the province’s new Mobility (MEC) he will drive the Western Cape Government’s commitment to transform public transport, ensuring it is safe, reliable, and affordable for our citizens. Mobility is critical to our economy and I look forward to seeing him succeed,” said Winde.
Santaco's first deputy chairperson, Nceba Enge, said the meeting will determine if the taxi industry forges ahead the protest.
“We welcome the new MEC of Mobility and look forward to the engagements to discuss our complaints. We cannot guarantee that the meeting will avert the stay away but we will go open minded,” he said.
Their grievances include Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) allegedly continuing to operate on the previously contested route B97 from Mbekweni to Paarl, “even though the route was officially reopened to the taxi associations.”
“Gabs never operated in that area until the closure of that route to the taxi industry. Even then we were led to believe that it was a temporary arrangement and the operations would stop as soon as the taxi industry signed an agreement and received operating licences.”
However Gabs general manager Derick Meyer sent an appeal to the taxi industry.
“We do not accept the preposterous suggestion that previous attacks are coincidental or unrelated. It is not good enough to simply say that violence and damage to property is not condoned.
“We therefore call on Santaco to take the necessary action to ensure that other operators and commuters are not adversely affected as a result of their withholding of services. We cannot allow ourselves to be bullied in this way in what seems to be becoming a more and more frequent occurrence. We will take whatever legal action necessary to protect our rights and the rights of our passengers,” said Meyer.
He said Santaco has also been spreading false statements regarding the B97 Paarl to Bellville route.
He claimed their buses ceased the temporal operation on the route after a resolution was reached between the taxi associations servicing B97.
“We do operate a separate Wellington to City service which we introduced in December 2020, for which we have all the requisite permissions and operating permits. We will not cease operating on this route as a result of bullying and false information,” Meyer said.
Cape Times