ANC slams taxi violence

2010-03-17 14:10

Johannesburg - The ANC and its alliance partners in Gauteng on Wednesday condemned the violent nature of protests by taxi operators against the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

"The alliance strongly condemns the shooting, intimidation, blockages of roads and violent conduct by taxi operators... " ANC provincial secretary David Makhura told media in Johannesburg following two days of protests by some members of the taxi industry.

"... we commend the people of Soweto for refusing to be intimidated and for acting calmly under extreme provocation by criminal elements who masquerade as taxi owners," he said.

Flanked by his counterparts from the Congress of SA Trade Unions and the SA Communist Party, Makhura welcomed the decision by the city of Johannesburg to expand the BRT system.

The alliance also commended law enforcement agencies for acting "decisively and swiftly" when dealing with those guilty of violence and intimidation during the taxi strike.

Makhura called on taxi operators and the city of Johannesburg to continue talks on operational matters related to the BRT system.

He said the people of Gauteng deserved a "better, affordable, reliable and safe public transport system".

" ... nobody can intimidate or threaten them to settle for anything less," Makhura said.

Some taxi operators protested against BRT as they said it would threaten their livelihoods.

- SAPA