25 November 2002
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in KwaZulu Natal urges the Department of Transport in this Province to convene an urgent meeting with taxi owners to iron out differences. The today's action by taxi operators of withdrawing their services in protest to what they refer to as harassment by the Transport Department has cause lot of inconveniences to commuters resulting in some either failing or reporting late at work. The dispute is about the department of Transport's efforts at rooting out violence and unroadworthy vehicles especially in the taxi industry by introducing the campaign called 'Operation Shanela' throughout the Province.
There are reports of intimidation in number of townships and even highways across the Province. It is the SACP view that a standoff between the department and taxi associations will result in some people loosing their jobs, especially those that are casualised.
But the today's action, which has every indications that it will continue for some days if involved parties do not sit down and address their differences, indicates quite clear that transport industry in private hands has every recipe of wrecking the economy of the country. That is why as the SACP we strongly believes that the state should not even contemplate attempts at privatising transport, as private sector will do anything to satisfy its ego at the direct expense of poor people.
What has happened today vindicates our argument that any debate about restructuring of transport industry in this country, such should be about how far the state should strengthen its ownership and control so that it ensures guaranteed access to means of transport. Any option that lessen the ownership and authority of the state will result not only in the imposition of high fares, which limits the people's access, but whenever the private owners of transport want to register their concerns with the government and people they could render the country and its economy standstill.
The South African Communist Party urges Taxi Associations and everybody involve in the taxi industry to make sure that in their exercise of their rights such should not result in the violations of rights of innocent commuters and people in general. Their action will earn every respect if it is conducted peacefully. We also urge Taxi Associations to expose those unruly elements that have decided to seize this action to intimidate ordinary people who attempt to go to work in order to feed their starving families. Those unruly elements need to be brought to book without delay.
Smiso Nkwanyana
Provincial Secretary
082 4687184