Issued by African National Congress
17 February 2000
The African National Congress views the decision by taxi drivers to go on a motorcade protest from Johannesburg to Pretoria, this morning as an irresponsible act that borders on hooliganism and cannot be tolerated.
We accept that taxi drivers and owners, like every citizen of this country, have the right to express their dissatisfaction by all legal means, including protest. But, the exercise of such a right cannot be achieved at the expense of the majority of commuters and under the pretense of exercising a democratic right.
The African National Congress wishes to remind the members of the National Taxi Drivers Organization and those that benefit from the profits of the taxi industry that, without the daily support of commuters who use taxis, this industry would have long collapsed. Thus, commuters deserve more respect and better treatment from taxi drivers than the humiliation they are constantly subjected to.
People going to work and other important engagements were rudely ordered out of taxis and ultimately ended up not making their appointments on time. This is totally unacceptable. Livelihoods of millions of South Africans depend on the ability of those commuters to earn a living and actions of this nature jeorpadise such chances.Sick people on their way to hospital were similarly thrown out of taxis and missed their much - needed treatment. We cannot go on like this.
This insensitivity and lack of respect displayed by taxi drivers to their clients does not augur well for the industry and, the sooner the owners take a serious look at it the better.
For more information contact Nat Serache at 082 416 3150 or
Nomfanelo Kota - Mayosi at 082 570 5072
Issued by Smuts Ngonyama
Head of the Presidency and Communications
51 Plein Street
Johannesburg
2000