A one-day shutdown planned by Eastern Cape taxi operators, which affected commuters and resulted in roads being blocked by protesters on Wednesday, was over by lunchtime.
The day was marked by sporadic outbreaks of violence throughout the province as taxi protesters burnt tyres and blocked routes following the SA National Taxi Council’s (Santaco) announcement of a complete shutdown.
However, a decision to call it off came after operators met government officials in King William’s Town later in the day.
The police’s Public Order Policing Unit was deployed across the province and, in several incidents, were forced to shoot rubber bullets to disperse the protesters in an attempt to open roads for traffic.
But by 1pm, police said most roads in the province had been reopened.
A total of 14 people were arrested for crimes including attempted murder, public violence and damage to essential structures.
Taxis that blocked roads were warned to move, failing which they were towed away or moved onto the roadside.
Police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said the strike did not permit taxi drivers and owners to be violent, infringe on people’s movements, intimidate them or destroy property.
“When police monitor these protests, resources are diverted from their core mandate of policing,” she said.
Soci said a driver was arrested in Aliwal North for attempted murder after allegedly trying to run over a police officer.
A cement truck driver who pulled over on the N2 between Bluewater Bay and Truckers Inn to check why the mixer had stopped turning, was attacked by six people in a minibus that pulled up next to him.
They were armed with sticks and stones and threatened him, forcing him to flee.
“The suspects then stole the GPS and two cellphones inside the truck. They also moved the truck into the road, blocking the N2,” Soci said.
Also in Port Elizabeth, traffic was disrupted at the Uitenhage and Johnson roads intersection, while Pondo Road near the Kenako Mall was blocked.
Protesters burnt tyres, damaged signs and pelted vehicles with stones.
Santaco regional chair Songezo Mpanda said: “The strike is over.
“This was after we handed our petition to the ANC’s Eastern Cape chair, Oscar Mabuyane. He promised to respond within seven days.”
Operators’ grievances include the struggle they face to obtain operating licences, failure by the transport department to tag schoolchildren who use scholar transport for identification purposes, and alleged harassment of operators and drivers by traffic officers.
Transport, safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana apologised for the disruptions.
“The violence, intimidation and even criminal elements were very regrettable and very unfortunate,” she said.
Tikana said strict budgetary constraints made it impossible to resolve grievances overnight.
“However, our door remains open for further engagements with the industry going forward as we seek lasting solutions to this impasse.”
The strike did not appear to have had a significant impact on bigger Bay workforces.
Isuzu Motors SA spokesperson Denise van Huyssteen said: “Even though higher-than-normal absenteeism levels were recorded, we were able to continue with normal production operations.”
VWSA spokesperson Andile Dlamini said operations had continued as normal.
Health department spokesperson Lwandile Sicwetsha said operations at the Orsmond TB Hospital in Joe Slovo, Uitenhage, were affected as 10 staff members did not arrive for work.
“All other facilities and services operated as usual.”
Sicwetsha said clinics and hospitals noticed a sharp drop in patient attendance.
DA MPL Marshall von Buchenroder called for action against taxi operators involved in halting the Eastern Cape economy.
“Tens of thousands of individuals, breadwinners, who are dependent on public transport to get to work, will take home less this month.”
Von Buchenroder said he and DA MPL Bobby Stevenson had stumbled into a taxi barricade on the N2 outside Peddie and were verbally assaulted and prevented from travelling to Bhisho.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga said police would continue to monitor the situation in areas affected by the protests, although the majority of roads had reopened.
“A call is made to all stakeholders to abide by the law and use the relevant channels to have their grievances addressed.”