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Taxi operators say they are on the verge of registering a new political organisation to contest next year’s national government elections, to represent and fight for their rights.
They say they have already applied for registration and submitted the name of their organisation, All African Alliance (AAA), to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Last Friday, hundreds of taxi operators belonging to the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) and the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata), and the top leadership of taxi associations from Eastern Cape, converged at the OR Tambo Indoor Centre in Site B.
Cata public relations officer Andile Seyamo, said their organisation will be strictly for taxi operators around the country.
He said they have already consulted with taxi organizations from other provinces.
Seyamo said the AAA was borne out of concerns that the South African National Taxi Association Council (Santaco) no longer had their interests at heart.
“They do not assist us, and are failing to execute the mandate from the industry.”
“We (have) submitted our documents to the IEC and we are awaiting (their) approval. We feel mistreated in this industry by (the) government. The taxi industry is not subsidized by the government, whereas Golden Arrow Bus (Services) and Metrorail are getting funds from government.
“Even the fairly new MyCiti Bus service is receiving great attention from the City of Cape Town ... Even erecting dedicated infrastructure for them, when our roads are mapped with potholes, and there is nothing happening,” said a fuming Seyamo.
“This country relies on us (taxi industry) for transportation.
