Cape Town Station Deck Taxi Rank. Photo: Storm Simpson / The South African.
WCED obtains interdict, forces CODETA to halt illegal scholar transport blockade
The WCED also laid a criminal complaint with the police against the minibus taxi associations involved in the blockade.
Cape Town Station Deck Taxi Rank. Photo: Storm Simpson / The South African.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) approached the Cape Town High Court on Friday, 17 February, to obtain an urgent interdict against the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA).
HIGH COURT GRANTS WCED URGENT INTERDICT
Over the past week, CODETA has allegedly imposed an illegal blockade that prevented WCED Learner Transport Scheme drivers from taking children in Khayelitsha and surrounding areas to school.
Thousands of learners have missed school as a result. Provincial education MEC David Maynier said over 3200 children were affected by the blockade on Friday.
“The Court recognised the urgency of the matter. Codeta has backed down and agreed to an interim arrangement whereby they will suspend their illegal blockade of our Learner Transport Scheme operators, until such time as the matter can be heard before the Court.
“This is a binding commitment before the Court, and any breach of the agreement would be considered to be in contempt,” said Maynier.
WCED interdict by Storm Simpson on Scribd
As previously reported, the taxi association was allegedly trying to muscle their way into driving contracts from the provincial government through the blockade.
The WCED head said he also laid a criminal complaint against the minibus taxi associations with the police.
“I provided a variety of evidence to them, including the statement issued by Codeta, which announces the hijacking of our Learner Transport Scheme routes. I also provided the media comments by various taxi association representatives, and photos of children hiding in the footwells of vehicles to escape the notice of criminals and thugs.
“The SAPS has committed to stepping up their operations to bring an end to the harassment of our contracted drivers,” said the MEC.
READ MORE:
- Over 5000 learners affected by ‘taxi mafia’ blockade, says WCED
- Taxi extortion attempts keep thousands of learners from Western Cape schools
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