eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba meets with taxi council to prevent shutdown

The streets of Durban are facing a pivotal moment as a delegation consisting of city Mayor Cyril Xaba and Transport MEC Siboniso Duma, took proactive steps to prevent a city-wide taxi strike, which threatens to disrupt transport across the region.

Convening an urgent meeting on Wednesday, the mayor gathered key stakeholders from the taxi industry, including Mathula Mkhize, leader of the eThekwini Metro Taxi Council, along with City Manager Musa Mbhele and other senior officials from the provincial Department of Transport.

This dialogue was part of a series of engagements between the government and the taxi industry, focusing primarily on the escalating conflicts in Clermont and KwaDabeka, areas where tensions have been particularly high due to operational grievances.

In a collaborative atmosphere, the Daily News understands that attendees acknowledged the legitimacy of the concerns raised by taxi operators and the need for swift resolution.

Central to the discussions was the pressing issue of operating licences.

In a statement, the municipality said it committed to accelerating the licensing process in collaboration with the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Transport, promising a more streamlined approach for the taxi industry.

Other significant matters included the impounding of vehicles operating without the requisite licences.

As a proactive measure, new interventions were proposed, namely:

-Increased law enforcement across all public transport service providers.

-Law enforcement officials will exercise precautionary discretion during operations.

-All seven-seater vehicles will be subjected to complete law enforcement scrutiny.

The City said it has already embarked on engaging the Clermont/KwaDabeka Taxi Association regarding the legal processes involved in releasing impounded vehicles.

Additionally, the municipality will expedite economic viability surveys.

"These surveys aim to assess the city’s capacity for rank facilities and route adequacy, a crucial step towards granting more permits while avoiding saturation."

In an effort to bridge gaps between the taxi industry and e-hailing services, Xaba vowed to call an urgent Indaba meeting with operators from both sectors, aiming to address operational challenges.

In addition, the importance of educational campaigns was also emphasised, particularly those raising awareness about the risks of utilising public transport without valid permits.

"A joint task team, comprising leaders from the taxi industry, eThekwini Municipality, and the Department of Transport, will be established to monitor the implementation of the resolutions drawn from this meeting," said the city in a statement.

Xaba expressed his commitment to support the taxi industry and assured participants that he would relay the meeting's outcomes to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy.

In light of the discussions, both the Mayor and the MEC urged the taxi leadership to temporarily suspend the planned strike and to resume operational activities in the affected areas. They reaffirmed the city’s dedication to engaging with the taxi industry to attain an amicable, long-term solutions.

DAILY NEWS