Durban — The two-year ruinous taxi dispute in Ulundi and Pongola has ended with the warring parties agreeing to bury the hatchet.
The breakthrough came last week, after all parties agreed to foster peace and ease the tensions that have been growing for almost two years, often turning violent and leaving many taxi bosses dead.
Sifiso Shangase, of the South African National Taxi Council KZN, said he was elated that the impasse had been resolved.
“We have been working to resolve that matter for a long time. I am happy that finally, we have found each other. This is a new chapter for the association and all its stakeholders,” he told the Daily News.
Shangase stressed that all parties must respect and abide by the agreement, “No one must deviate from the rules that have been in place. No deviation will be tolerated as this will erase all the good work we have done.”
The new Transport MEC Siboniso Duma lauded all the parties for ending the dispute.
In a statement, his department said: “Following our strategic planning meeting, all categories of staff in the department have doubled their efforts to ensure the stability of the public transport sector.
“We are all pulling in the same direction as we inspire hope for a better future.”
The department thanked the Roving Taxi Industry Conflict Management Task Team, attached to the department’s Provincial Regulatory Entity, taxi associations and the South African National Taxi Council for the peace deal.
“We recall that weeks ago, taxi operators who are members of the Ulundi Mahlabathini Association staged a protest by blocking a road in Mayiwane.
“Our hard-working Roving Taxi Industry Conflict Management Task Team from the department’s Provincial Regulatory Entity Sifundiswa Lunga remains hard at work. They will continue to resolve disputes and ensure the stability of the public transport sector.
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Daily News