Amien Carlsen, chairperson of the Wynberg Taxi Forum, says after requesting a meeting with City officials for several months, they are gatvol of waiting and feel they are being sidelined.
“We see roadworks going ahead for the MyCiTi in Parkwood and people are scared they will just wake up one day and see buses replace taxis,” he explains.
“We don’t want to be following the trend of protesting and burning tyres, but what must we do? We ask respectfully for a meeting, and niks. Ons wil nie pad toe gaan nie; it’s unnecessary, but we will if we must.”
Mayco member Brett Herron says some of the roadworks for the roll-out of Phase 2A of the MyCiTi service and other future phases started along Strandfontein and Stock roads.
Herron says due to an application for an interdict by South Road residents to prevent the MyCiTi bus route, the meeting with taxi drivers was delayed.
“We would not have been able to engage with the taxi operators, or anyone, about a MyCiTi service into Wynberg until the court matter was resolved. At this point there is still no approved MyCiTi route that enters the Wynberg area,” he says.
“I want to assure the minibus-taxi operators in Wynberg that the City will engage with the affected taxi associations long before the service is about to start operating.”