Update

GEORGE NEWS - In response to an interview conducted by Ilse Schoonraad with police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie, George Municipality has denied that an agreement was made during yesterday’s taxi negotiations that no taxis would be impounded for the next seven days. 

One of the top role players in the taxi fraternity told Schoonraad this morning that they were promised a grace period of seven days to determine the way forward, but that the provincial traffic police swooped on taxis first thing this morning and in defiance of this ‘understanding’, impounded several taxis. 

Schoonraad asked Pojie about this, who said that he was unaware of any such agreement.

The municipal statement reads as follows: 

“Regarding a video clip for George Herald this morning, which refers to ‘one of the taxi bosses’ allegedly saying that an agreement was made that no taxi would be impounded for seven days until answers were given and a plan forward’, the George Municipality would like to clarify that no such agreement, in which the George Municipality was involved, was made – only that a committee would be established within seven days to plan the way forward. We believe there may have been a misunderstanding in this regard. 

"George Municipality cannot comment on action taken by provincial traffic, but would like to confirm that traffic authorities in general are compelled by law to act on traffic transgressions and unroadworthy vehicles immediately as these are issues of road safety – in which the lives of all road users are affected. All vehicles, not just taxis, are not allowed on the road if they are not roadworthy and would be impounded if they did not comply.”

The stand-off between the taxi industry and the authorities at the GO GEORGE bus depot in York Street has been dragging on since early this morning when about 100 taxis descended on the depot demanding that all impounded taxis be released. Police and traffic officials immediately blocked off York Street from the circle at Hope street (airport road) to Union Street at York Street Boulevard (formerly Redefine). By 14:30 the deadlock had been ongoing for longer than six hours. Heavily armed police and riot vehicles remain on the scene. While no taxis are operational, all GO GEORGE services also remain suspended.

Taxi drivers and owners are angry that the provincial traffic police are operating in George and say they must go back to the cities and towns they hail from. They say the provincial traffic officers are doing more damage than good. George Herald spoke to several George traffic officers this morning who share this sentiment. They said that if a traffic blitz is needed in the area, they can conduct one themselves. Many other residents have also complained about the arrogance and speeding of the provincial ‘ghost squad’ drivers claiming they break more traffic rules than the George motorists. One of these ghost squad vehicles collided with a VW Polo yesterday morning at an intersection in Albert Street.

Provincial Traffic Chief Kenny Africa, who was George Traffic Chief until 2010, said in a statement that the traffic department, law enforcement and the municipality have been acting “within the permit of the law by enforcing traffic regulations that are rooted in Government’s intention to protect the safety of the public and also to regulate operators in the public transport space. It is important to remember that the law enforcement process must be done without fear, favour or prejudice. The actions by law enforcement, Provincial and Municipal officials must always be guided by this principle and the Department continues to work together with all roleplayers to ensure that the process is managed appropriately and responsibly.

“The Department has been working with the Municipality in order to engage taxi industry in George over the past few days. There have been two full days of intense negotiations with the taxi industry in order to reach an amicable conclusion of engagements with industry. The discussions with the taxi industry over the past two days have been cordial dealing with immediate concerns as well as historical issues and the Department is working very hard at dealing with these complex issues that don’t have immediate solutions available. The engagements with the taxi industry are critical and the Department, together with the Municipality, and the Provincial Regulatory Entity are working together to engage taxi industry to ensure that the concerns of the taxi industry are ventilated, but also that the complex and historical issues are managed appropriately and responsibly.”

Africa did not expand on what these complex issues may be, but the issuing of permits have been a major problem since 2014 when agreements were reached with the local taxi industry regarding permit buy outs and integration into the GO GEORGE bus service. The taxi industry has never been happy with the agreements and pay outs demanding more money and to be allowed to operate as an independent industry alongside GO GEORGE.

Two people, closely linked to the GO GEORGE negotiations have been murdered since the taxi negotiation process started almost 10 years ago. Tom Queba, a leader within the George taxi industry and the then chief negotiator was shot in his taxi on the N2 highway in 2014 and George taxi boss Wesley Mini, who was also involved in the negotiations, was shot in front of his home in Thembalethu in 2016. Queba’s killer was sentenced to 20 years in 2015, but it is believed he did not act alone. Mini’s killers has never been found.

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