GEORGE NEWS - Amid the singing, chanting and stick fighting, just a few small dramas could be seen during the protest action by aggrieved George taxi operators on Tuesday.
Starting at the top of Nelson Mandela Boulevard in Thembalethu, about 100 taxi drivers and operators took to the streets to voice their grievances against the George Integrated Public Transport Network, GO GEORGE.
This was the second anti-GO GEORGE protest and the marchers threaten to continue with strikes and protests until their demands have been met.
Members of various local taxi associations claim they were not properly consulted before the roll-out of the service and want to renegotiate the deal. The protesters reject the current compensation model, which offered R350 000 for taxi owners' first permit with the rest calculated on a sliding scale.
The 500 man strong march was led by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) with a convoy of about 100 taxis.
Uncedo Taxi Association members and some members of the African National Congress (ANC) were also in the mix. Protesters gathered at about 08:30 at the Thembalethu Taxi Rank and under a heavy police presence moved down Nelson Mandela Boulevard to the George Municipality in York Street.
Minutes after the marchers took off, the first drama unfolded when the police wanted to confiscate a wooden stick belonging to an EFF member who had allegedly raised it in a threatening way. The police tried to wrestle the stick away from the man who refused to let go. They left the man alone when the crowd moved in to support their comrade.
Contrary to expectations, the protest was relatively peaceful. However, as protesters moved down Nelson Mandela Boulevard, in the vicinity of Usave supermarket, the police used several stun grenades to disperse the protesters who wanted to occupy all four traffic lanes, refusing to stick to the left side of the road. Some protesters then wanted to burn tyres which suddenly appeared from nowhere, but were stopped by the police.
The protest brought some parts of George to a standstill as businesses along Nelson Mandela Boulevard had to be closed due to fear of looting. Public transport was also interrupted.
As the march neared York Street, a growing feeling of euphoria could be detected among the marchers. More singing and chanting could be heard. Stick fighting broke out among some of the protesters during this time and quarrels with the police were at the order of the day.
However, a heavy police presence, led by Captain Frans van Rooyen, the operational commander of the Public Order Police, ensured that the marchers behaved.
Protecting his identity, this man could unmask his emotions.
'We want the mayor'
When the marchers arrived at the municipal offices, they refused to hand over their memorandum to Deputy Mayor Daniël Maritz who was assigned to receive the list, demanding to hand it to Mayor Charles Standers in person.
Refusing to believe that Standers was not available, the protesters pushed forward and chanted "We want the mayor, we want the mayor" until Standers came out to sign for the memorandum.
Cornelius Esau, spokesperson of the coalition of disgruntled taxi drivers, who delivered the memorandum, said they demand the reopening of the negotiations where every stakeholder of the taxi industry could be involved.
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Taking no chance... The march was headed up by several police Nyalas and other vehicles. Photo: Lizette da Silva
"There was no independent study done to evaluate the social and economic situation of operators, drivers, marshals and conductors for the development of a financial model that will be accepted by all parties in the negotiations," said Esau.
Standers said the document will be handed over to the Western Cape Minister of Transport Public Works as it was a provincial project. Standers said a formal reply will be issued to the organisers of the march within seven working days.
Meanwhile, the police said one case of contravening the conditions of the Public Gatherings Act has been opened, but that no one has been arrested.
Grenade stuns journalist
While covering the protest march on Tuesday, George Herald journalist Zolani Sinxo experienced the severe effect of a stun grenade first-hand. "I was at the intersection at the end of Nelson Mandela Boulevard, next to Usave, when I heard a huge explosion," says Sinxo.
"I ran closer to take some photos when a stun grenade landed next to my foot. It literally exploded on me, leaving my ears ringing and head spinning. I was completely disorientated."
Shortly afterwards, another grenade was flung in Sinxo's direction. "In the chaos I lost my new cellphone. It was crazy. It felt like I was part of an old apartheid movie," he jokes. At one stage Sinxo thought the police mistook him for an EFF member as he was wearing his bright red George Herald golf shirt.
"Although the situation was never life-threatening, it was a scary, but at the same time exhilarating experience. I was right inside the march, walking with the protesters. The shouting, the confrontation with the police - I was in the middle of it all. You feel the people, their energy and euphoria."
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Watch a video of the protestors chanting at the George Municipality.
Protestors reach the George Municipality. Photo: Zolani Sinxo.
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The cavalcade was not allowed to turn into York Street from Nelson Mandela Boulevard and the taxi protesters had to leave their taxis behind and approach the municipality on foot. Photo: Lizette da Silva.
ARTICLE AND VIDEO: ZOLANI SINXO, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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