Commuters in Hammanskraal are still stranded today with no taxis to transport them to town. The City of Tshwane accused the taxi associations in Hammanskraal of negotiating in bad faith.
This is after Sheila Lynn Senkubuge, the Tshwane MMC for Roads and Transport held marathon meetings with concerned commuters and taxi organisations in Hammanskraal yesterday following disruptions of public transport from Hammanskraal into the CBD.
There were still no taxi’s to transport commuters into town this morning, which the MMC labelled, “”acts of rogue taxi organisations influenced by political elements who do not have interest in providing services to the people of Tshwane.”
Complaints raised with the MMC at yesterday’s meeting include inefficiencies surrounding the current bus service contract with North West Star and request for the extension of the A Re Yeng bus rapid transit system to Hammanskraal. They also included challenges regarding the agreement between the City of Tshwane and Taxi organizations along the Hammanskraal – Rainbow Junction – Tshwane CBD route and request for a passenger railway service between the CBD and Hammanskraal.
Following robust engagements that lasted all day, the parties agreed to allow the leadership of Tshwane time to look into the issues raised.
It is alleged that the protests are related to public transport services between Hammanskraal and the Tshwane CBD.
The MMC said as a result of this and taking into consideration the safety of commuters and A Re Yeng staff, the city will only be operating a partial service in the inner city.
She said a group of commuters marched on Tshwane House on Monday and handed a memorandum of demands to the leadership of the City. Their demands relate to public transport services between Hammanskraal and the CBD. The City has agreed to respond to the memorandum within a week.
“While some of the issues could be addressed within a reasonable space of time, there are matters bound in legal agreements entered into by the City and the taxi industry which cannot just be changed overnight.
“These include the legal agreement that taxis coming from Hammanskraal should drop off commuters at Rainbow Junction wherein A Re Yeng busses would ferry them to their final destinations in various parts of the CBD. Taxi operators were compensated for the Rainbow Junction to CBD route wherein the City of Tshwane paid out R300 000 per vehicle for at least 375 vehicles/taxis,” she said
She called on residents of Hammanskraal to exercise restraint and discipline while the issues they raised are being resolved and condemned any conduct that would lead to violence and destruction of property.
