A taxi commuters Belle Ombre taxi rank in Pretoria on 1June 2020 in Pretoria asSouth Africa officially entered level 3 of the lockdown. Photo by Gallo Images/Alet Pretorius
Durban riots latest: SANTACO steps in to stop violent looters
SANTACO has called a meeting with Taxi owners in Durban on Wednesday to discuss ways to put a stop to the ongoing looting across the city.
A taxi commuters Belle Ombre taxi rank in Pretoria on 1June 2020 in Pretoria asSouth Africa officially entered level 3 of the lockdown. Photo by Gallo Images/Alet Pretorius
The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) is set to discuss plans to intervene to stop the ongoing looting and violent protests in Durban on Wednesday.
The SA National Taxi Association announced that it would address taxi owners who operate in the city at the Chesterville Taxi Rank at 10am today on ways to stop the violence.
“SANTACO Durban Central will tomorrow, 14 July 2021, address taxi owners who operate within the Durban region on ways to stop the ongoing looting and violent protests currently happening within the region,” SANTACO said in a media invitation to the event that circulated on social media on Tuesday.
The news that the taxi association planned to intervene to stop the looting brought some hope to Durban residents as thousands left their homes and braved the roads in search of fuel and food early in Wednesday morning.
SANTACO had earlier suspended all taxi operations in KwaZulu-Natal due to the ongoing violence which started with roads being blocked on Friday and then turned into violent looting by Sunday evening. The looting continued unabated until Tuesday night with looters pillaging supermarkets and food distribution centres and setting businesses alight. Despite its apparent deployment the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) did nothing to protect local supermarkets, businesses and warehouses that were emptied and torched.
According to Jacaranda FM SANTACO said that the decision was taken to protect taxi drivers and taxis from being targeted by protestors.
Spokesperson Sfiso Ntshangase told the radio station that the organisation would review the decision.
“We need to review the position, the decision was made at midnight. Initally we said let us notify oru commuters that in certain areas operations will be disturbed.
“As the day progresses we will review the decision looking at what is happening on the ground and make an informed decision. However we won’t be able to sustain the operation for the duration of the week.”
Thousands of residents took to the streets since Sunday night in a so-called “Free Jacob Zuma” looting frenzy
They pillaged shops and burned businesses and trucks.
Protesters have warned that they would not back down until the former president has been released from the Estcourt Correctional Facility, where he is facing his 15 month jail sentence after being found guilty of contempt of court.
Tags:
