Taxi drivers causing chaos in Mamelodi

The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union says it has lost all faith in the transport department, reports News24's Naledi Shange.

Satawu's general secretary, Zenzo Mahlangu slammed the department for failing to make provisions for the hundreds of Putco employees who were affected by the transport company's move to cancel its contracts in parts of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng municipalities.

"We have lost confidence in both the provincial and the national departments of transport in providing the solution to this current crisis and hence we have resorted [to] taking the matter to court," said Mahlangu.  

He said the Labour Relations Law, Section 197 stated that 'the transfer of a business and the rights of employees affected by a transfer should be taken into account'.

"Under a transfer of business the new employer; in this case Autopax; is automatically substituted in the place of the old employer, Putco, in respect of all contracts of employment in existence immediately before the date of transfer.

“Meaning Autopax is subject to employing all the workers that are already working the said routes. Autopax has refused to transfers employment contracts to their tender," said Mahlangu.

Commuters in Mamelodi say government must bring back Putco so that life can return to normal.

"Government should just give Putco what it wants and Putco must come back so that we can continue as we have been before," said Khoni Mahlangu.

Meanwhile, taxi operators said in the long run their actions will benefit the community.

"We are going to speak to the community to show them that what we are fighting for is not for us but for them. The subsidy that is going to come is theirs," a taxi operator said.

"Today they might say they are not going to work because we are being selfish but once all the dust has settled, they will reap the rewards."

A Putco bus was shot at as violence escalated in Mamelodi, a News24 correspondent said.

The bus, carrying passengers, was allegedly shot at by four men in a car about 5km away from the intersection of Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Pretoria Road.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that the driver of the bus had been killed and a commuter injured.

The sister of the injured passenger said she received a phone call earlier on Friday morning while she was at home.

Minibus taxi drivers continued to barricade roads in Mamelodi near Pretoria on Friday morning, in protest against the introduction of the Autopax bus service in the area.

"We can confirm that roads are being barricaded with burning tyres," Tshwane Metro Police spokesperson Isaac Mahamba told News24.