Cape Town – The City of Cape Town’s executive mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has announced that several thousand minibus taxis have been impounded and will only be released once the prescribed impoundment fees are paid.
Speaking during an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Hill-Lewis he would consider releasing taxis if evidence of unfair impoundments is provided by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco).
“We will not release them. They will be released when the impoundment fee is paid. What I said is that if Santaco brings me examples of what they claim are examples of malicious or overzealous impoundments, then I will look at those examples and if we agree together that this is in fact an officer that has gone out out of bounds then I will absolutely work to release those.
“But I trust the professionalism of our officers and I think that they do a great job and I suspect we will find very, very few of those out of the many thousands of the impoundments that we have done,” the mayor said.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis tells @XoliMngambi that the city will not release any impounded vehicle despite Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga’s order that impounded minibus taxis be released without condition.
Watch: https://t.co/hXo8TaOyZo#Newzroom405 #TaxiStrike pic.twitter.com/wqCQ0IDsUy
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) August 9, 2023
He said that the impoundment fees vary, with around R6 000 being required for a first impoundment and higher fees for repeat offenses.
“Some of these vehicles have been impounded several times because they are not roadworthy, they are dangerous, they have smooth tyres – whatever the case is,” said Hill-Lewis.
Transport Minister Sindi Chikunga visited Cape Town this week to participate in negotiations to address a taxi crisis that has affected the city and province.
Chikunga criticised the city for using incorrect by-laws to impound 6 000 minibus taxis.
She emphasised the importance of adhering to national laws and urged the city to return to negotiations to find a resolution.
“We have national laws in place that govern the infringements and penalties dealt with in the contested conditions of operating licences. The national laws are in place to ensure that fair rules are applicable to all citizens irrespective of the city or province they reside in. It can never be that a city will define itself outside the parameters of national laws and implement penalties that are out of sync with these laws.
“To this end, we call on the city to return to the negotiating table to address the areas of disagreement and demonstrate a genuine effort to find a lasting resolution to the current challenges,” the minister said.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Twitter/@matsi_moswane
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
