Taxi protest causes chaos

NEWSWATCH: Steve Mabona of the Gauteng Department of Education has urged parents to keep children at home for their own safety during the taxi protests today.

Image via @SollyPhetoe

“The Gauteng Education Department urges parents to keep their children at home today due to the national taxi strike,” said the GDE's spokesperson.

The South African National Taxi Association (Santaco) insists that the strike is legal and under control, denying that its drivers are barricading several highways across Gauteng.

#m1 to Pretoria #TaxiStrike #TaxiProtest @channelafrica1 pic.twitter.com/P5ZO7Io9qK
— Solly Phetoe (@SollyPhetoe) June 15, 2017

#TaxiStrike These are roads you must avoid at the moment, blockages are in place in Johannesburg & Pretoria. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/RAf3hez2RB
— Mweli Masilela (@mwelimasilela) June 15, 2017

Gauteng - #TaxiProtest RT @BrightShlumza @TrafficSA R21 lockdown pic.twitter.com/vfjf71vu6O
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) June 15, 2017

“No taxis will be running. We advise commuters to seek alternative transport. We apologise for any inconvenience that will be caused by this,” said Santaco spokesman Ralph Jones.

“The industry members will hand over a memorandum of grievances to the directors of SA Taxi Finance company. Some members have been hard hit by high interest rate of 28 percent [on vehicle finance] and blacklisting due to [required] repayments of R15,000 per month over 72 months…we can’t take it anymore.”

Commuters are advised to make alternative arrangements.