Taxi strike holds Mbombela’s economy to ransom

Taxi strike holds Mbombela’s economy to ransom

The DA condemns allegations of shots fired by two feuding taxi associations who sealed off all entrances to Mbombela’s city centre.

This morning, Mbombela’s residents woke up to find the R40 linking White River to the city blocked by taxis in a bid to draw the attention of the provincial government. Alternative routes such as the N4 route from Kanyamazane and Malelane also sealed bringing all traffic leading to the city to a standstill.

While taxi drivers have a right to strike that is enshrined in the Constitution, they must do so in a manner that does not endanger the lives of ordinary citizens. Much of the province’s working class relies on public transport to get to work and back and cannot afford to simply stay away from work due to an unforeseen taxi strike.

The DA calls on the MEC of public works, roads and transport, Dumisile Nhlengethwa, to work together with the office of the premier to ensure that an amicable solution reached swiftly so that Mbombela’s residents can once again enjoy their freedom of movement.

Mpumalanga already has high levels of poverty and unemployment; we can thus not have a dispute between taxi associations threatening to result in more job losses and possible fatalities.