South Africa: Ngcobo Taxi Drivers Meet Government to Resolve Intercape Bus Dispute

What the report says

Hundreds of taxi operators in Ngcobo, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, met with local and national government officials on Monday afternoon in an effort to resolve a dispute linked to Intercape bus operations in the town. The meeting took place at the Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality council chambers, while a long convoy of taxis gathered outside near municipal offices, according to GroundUp’s report carried by AllAfrica.

The conflict centers on taxi drivers’ demand that Intercape buses be prevented from picking up passengers in Ngcobo, which they say competes directly with their business. The report says the taxi operators have been on strike since 18 August and have continued to disrupt transport in the area, including setting up roadblocks and stopping vehicles they believe are carrying too many passengers.

The talks involved officials from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, as well as the departments of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, transport, and home affairs. Small business owners were also part of the effort to find a solution. GroundUp also noted that residents had separately protested over local governance concerns, leading to the precautionary suspension of municipal manager Khathutshelo Mulaudzi pending an investigation.

The dispute matters because it has affected passenger movement and local business activity in Ngcobo, and because Intercape has previously taken police, provincial transport authorities and the municipality to court over alleged failures to stop attacks by taxi operators. An organiser for the Ngcobo Yethu Civic Organisation said he hoped Monday’s meeting would help ease tensions.