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Taxi drivers beaten over routes
23/07/2007 16:22 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Ten taxi drivers have been beaten in renewed taxi conflict over routes in Rustenburg on Monday, associations said.
The chairperson of Tlhabane Taxi Owners Association (TTOA), Simon Mogapi alleged their drivers were assaulted when taxi operators from the Geelhout Taxi Association (GTA) forcefully off-loaded passengers from their taxis in Geelhout Park near Rustenburg.
He said TTOA went to Geelhout Park on Monday morning to load passengers there because their operating licences allow them to operate there.
"Our drivers were assaulted and passengers off-loaded from our taxis," he said.
He alleged that taxis operating in Geelhout were illegal as they did not have operating licences for the area.
He said the assault was not reported to the police, as it was 'not that serious'.
Spokesperson for GTA, Elvis Moualefe, said their taxis were still using the old radius-based permit, while awaiting route-based operating licences.
He said TTOA had no right to operate in Geelhout Park.
Conflict ongoing
"TTOA stormed into our route while negotiations over the issue were being held," he said.
"We could not allow them to operate here until we have a solution over this route".
He denied that passengers were being forcefully off-loaded from taxis from Tlhabane.
A representative of the National Taxi Council in Rustenburg, Jacob Mbatha said in April this year the two associations had a conflict over the Geelhout Park route.
A meeting to resolve the issue was arranged but nothing come out of it.
TTOA is affiliated to the Northern Regional Taxi Council, which is an affiliate of the South African National Taxi Council, while Geelhout Taxi Association belongs to the Rustenburg Local and Long Distance Taxi Association which is an affiliate of National Taxi Council.
Rustenburg police confirmed that a number of assault cases had been opened against taxi operators following the taxi conflict, but could not immediately provide exact figures.
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