Cape Town - As three-days of talks between the City, the province and Santaco got under way on Monday in Cape Town, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga was determined to approach the courts for an interpretation of the law on which transgressions can lead to taxi impoundments.

The Minibus Taxi Task Team (MBTTT) comprising representatives of the taxi mother body, the City and the province met at an undisclosed location for the talks, which Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie said had made progress.

In a brief comment on the talks, Mackenzie said he was pleased with the progress and that there had been “constructive engagement” at the talks which continue today.

Mackenzie said: “The needs and rights of commuters are placed front and centre of these discussions. People must have access to safe, reliable, affordable, and sustainable transport.”

Santaco deputy chairperson Nceba Enge said while he could say the meeting had gone according to plan, he was not at liberty to comment further.

“We cannot disclose anything at the moment because negotiations or discussions are still in progress, all that we can say is that the meeting is progressing well at the moment and we’ll be able to have a proper statement on Thursday.”

Santaco deputy chairperson Nceba Enge. File PIC PATRICK LOUW

Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga, Picture: Supplied by PRASA (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa)

Meanwhile, Chikunga said a legal opinion from her department suggests the City added the National Road Traffic Act infringement to the National Land Transport Act to enable them to impound taxis and that this was illegal.

Chikunga, who was briefing the National Assembly committee on transport on the recent province-wide eight-day taxi strike, said the courts were the appropriate place to resolve the issue.

“We should test this matter in a court of law. We want to say to the Court: explain to us who is right here. Can we impound cars for infringements that are catered for in the National Road Traffic Act even if they don’t carry impoundment sanctions?”

Chikunga said she had brought the issue up with MacKenzie who said the Province was also seeking legal opinion

Mackenzie said: “We have also asked our lawyers for an interpretation, and we will provide that to Parliament’s portfolio committee should it be required.”

Ahead of the taxi talks the City said it would hold the taxi mother body responsible for the damage caused during the 8-day strike earlier this month.

During a televised interview on eNCA, mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that while the City, the province, and the taxi industry had reached an agreement to end the strike, it did not follow that the taxi industry was absolved of the responsibility for the damage during the strike.

Santaco has disputed the City’s allegations that its members had caused any violence during the strike.

Meanwhile, the SACP and Cosatu have said they intend to engage Santaco, civil society, Prasa, Golden Arrow Bus service, the City and the province in the hope of convening a Public Transport Indaba before the end of the year.

In a joint statement the two organisations said the envisaged Public Transport Indaba would be used as a platform to get to the root of the structural and systematic challenges facing public transport in the Western Cape.

“Such an indaba must be able to deal with the question of an integrated, safe, affordable and reliable public transport system.

“Key amongst other issues is the subsidising of the taxi industry and its formalisation and transformation on a more urgent basis.”

mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za

Cape Argus