STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR URBAN MOBILITY, COUNCILLOR ROB QUINTAS
I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the disruption of critical public transport services, violence and blocking of roads by some of those who participated in the minibus-taxi industry’s protest action today.
A Dial-A-Ride vehicle was stoned in Kraaifontein this morning.
Furthermore, two N2 Express buses were forced to a standstill close to Bhunga Avenue, along the N2 highway, the drivers forced out of the vehicles, as well as the approximately 100 passengers. The one bus was stoned as well.
No injuries were reported, however, the driver and the passengers were extremely traumatised as a result.
In the Dunoon area about 50 MyCiTi buses were prevented from operating for hours, similar scenes were prevalent in other areas across the city where buses were either brought to a standstill, or roads blocked. The stone throwing and blocked roads affected commuters in and around the city and critical centres of economic activity, from the Cape Town CBD, to Houtbay and Hangberg, Dunoon, Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, to name but a few.
The City had to, in the interest of the safety of personnel and passengers, withdraw the DAR service from a number of areas, among which Khayelitsha, Kraaifontein, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Langa, Bonteheuwel, Samora Machel, Duoon, Mfuleni and Eerste River.
As a result, many DAR users who cannot make use of conventional transport services, were left stranded, losing out on a day’s wages, hospital appointments, and school. The DAR service will only return to these areas once calm has been restored, and it is safe again to operate.
The DAR commuters have special needs, many of them are in wheelchairs. They are among the most vulnerable in our communities and they are being deprived of a critical service in a time when all of us should be doing all we can to earn a living.
As stated above, MyCiTi commuters have been impacted across the board.
Commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha who rely on the N2 Express Service to get to the Cape Town CBD were severely affected as buses had to be deviated due to the ongoing violence, stone throwing and blocked roads.
Several deviations of the MyCiTi service will be in place across the city, until further notice, and operations will be fully restored only once it is safe to do so.
The violence that accompanied this protest will cause our residents only more hardship and pain.
Cape Town’s residents have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Economic recovery is pivotal, and we must do all we can to ensure people can be productive, and get to their places of work and education.
Commuters are advised to phone the Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63 for the latest information about schedules and routes. The TIC is available 24/7.
Source: City Of Cape Town