Western Cape MEC for Transport Daylin Mitchell has announced that the B97 taxi route closure will be extended for another two months as the provincial government seeks to quell deadly disputes.
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The taxi route between Bellville and Mbekweni, in Paarl was closed in July after efforts to end taxi violence between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) failed.
MEC Daylin Mitchell said that the two taxi ranks in Mbekweni and an informal rank in Bellville would be closed for a further two months from Saturday 25 September.
“The arbitration process between the parties is not yet complete and illegal operations on the B97 route continue.”
“In consultation with the South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies, the City of Cape Town and the Drakensberg Municipality have decided to extend the closure of the B97 route,” the MEC said.
Mitchell said that the extension of the closure of the B97 route and associated ranks for a further two months will give the search for a lasting peace a viable chance.
“I expect that extending the closure of these routes and ranks will help maintain the relative stability that was restored to the public transport environment in affected areas and to support the process of finding a lasting peace,” he said.