GEORGE NEWS - The legal battle between the Codeta Disadvantaged Taxi Association George and the municipality is taking a new turn with the association planning to challenge the moratorium on the issuing of taxi permits.
On 21 December 2021, the Cape Town High Court granted the George Municipality an order that forbids Codeta to operate in George. It was served on Codeta on Monday 10 January 2022.
Codeta, who had until 25 January to file counter-arguments, later filed an urgent court application to overturn the court order.
The matter was heard on 25 January, but on request of the municipality, it was postponed till end May, after which the court order would be final.
Arnold Pietersen, chairperson of the association, told George Herald on Monday 6 June that the organisation will not challenge the court order.
"We decided to withdraw because it would not have assisted us in obtaining permits and registration as an organisation," he said.
Codeta has other plans. "We will file a counter-application challenging the mora-torium. It hasn't been handed in and is not an urgent application.
"The plan is to hand in our application in the next few days. We will take it from there." The counter-application will be filed against George Municipality and the Western Cape Minister of Transport.
Pietersen stressed that Codeta wants the taxis back that were impounded by "Municipal Traffic".
Acting Director of Protection Services at George Municipality, Vernon Petersen, confirmed on Tuesday that the High Court granted the municipality the final interdict on 31 May after the respondents withdrew their notice of opposition and agreed that they would abide by the decision of the court.
The vehicles operating illegally were seized by the police and are still in the police's care, who are instructed by the National Prosecuting Authority or the courts on how to deal with the seized assets. In this process, the municipality has the very limited role of complainant and the role players have been advised accordingly.
Petersen said George Municipality will continue to enforce the interdict which is applicable on any person operating without a transport licence. He asked members of the public to refrain from using vehicles that do not have road transportation permits.
Passengers risk being inconvenienced should a minibus without a permit be stopped and impounded.
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