Over the past couple of weeks, videos have been circulating amid an alleged road rage between said motor vehicle and taxi association patrolling vehicle.
The dispute that was sparked by motorist purported to be picking up hitch hikers has caused outrage across the country,
whereby motorist cry foul claiming to be harassed by taxi association but members of the association say different.
This has called for the immediate intervention of the South African Police Services (SAPS), National Commissioner General Fennie Masemola stating that “Taxi patrollers have no authority to stop motorists from giving people lifts”.
In an interview that took place between Newzroom Afrika’s Xoli Mngambi and South African National Taxi Council’s (SANTACO), Chairman Fanyana Sibanyoni. https://youtu.be/__kyuLuYKXI?si=RBIkJccsDvIL66Rg
Mr. Sibanyoni argued “car owners were not permitted to give hitchhikers a lift, not even family members, citing safety concerns for passengers and private car owners who did not have permits to transport passengers”.
The debate continues as MEC’s from different parts of the country step-in, in attempts to resolve the matter at hand. It is common knowledge that Taxi association patrol vehicles are deployed to ensure that taxi operators do their jobs within the scope set out by the SANTACO.
Anything regarding motorists un-permitted operations on the national roads of South Africa, that falls under the jurisdiction of the National traffic officers. If Taxi Association Patrollers suspect that a motor vehicle is picking up passengers in a case, it is not permitted to do so, they can then report the matter to the nearest traffic officers or call it in via call.
