17 to appear in court over taxi protests

Durban - Seventeen people were expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday following the violent taxi protests in the city’s central business district this week.

Police spokesperson Colonel Jay Naicker said that the 17 faced charges of public violence and contravening the Illegal Gatherings Act.

On Tuesday, hundreds of taxi drivers clashed with Public Order Policing Unit members as they rampaged through the city centre, damaging both private and municipal infrastructure.

Taxi bosses were demanding the return of some 300 taxis that had been impounded by eThekwini Metro Police for failing to have the required permits. Taxi bosses claim that they cannot get permits because of a backlog at the provincial transport department.

The marchers had not received official permission for their march.

Earlier, South African National Taxi Council provincial spokesperson Yusuf Khaliva said that normality would be restored as they had identified “a way forward”.

“I do not foresee any further protests today [Wednesday] or any traffic disruptions at all on the part of minibus drivers and owners. We are having a meeting with the executive committee of eThekwini and it follows a very successful talk we had last night,” he said.

EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa could not be reached for comment at the time of publishing.

Naicker said no incidents of violence or blockades had been reported on Wednesday morning.