Cape Town taxi strike: Province braces for school absenteeism
As the Cape Town taxi strike enters its second week, it’s schools in the province that are suffering with large-scale absenteeism.
As the Cape Town taxi strike enters its second week, the Western Cape Education Department is expecting large-scale absenteeism across the province. Speaking to eNCA, Bronagh Hammond of the Western Cape Education Department said nearly 300 000 pupils missed school last week. This was in response to the ongoing Cape Taxi strike.
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Not only that, but more than 9 500 teachers missed school last week due to Cape Town taxi strike disruptions. And the department is expecting more of the same this week. “The taxi strike is having a severe impact on teaching and learning in the province,” said Hammond.
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CAPE TOWN TAXI STRIKE LATEST
Emergency talks between the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and the Western Cape Government (WCG) on Sunday evening failed to resolve the Cape Town taxi strike impasse. Which means the stayaway continues until Wednesday 9 August as planned.
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One of the core points of contention is SANTACO wants its impounded taxis to be returned without having to pay fines. The taxi council is also demanding a dedicated traffic lane like the MyCiTi bus enjoys in the Western Cape. As well as a moratorium on the conditions applied to operating licenses.
WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT HOLDS ITS GROUND
In response, the WCG said it was willing to cease impoundments on minor infringements but said it would continue to impound vehicles for serious infringements. Meanwhile, the Golden Arrow Bus Services has had six of its buses torched since the beginning of the Cape Town taxi strike.
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It successfully gained a court interdict this weekend, preventing SANTACO members from intimidating, harassing, threatening or interfering with its employees, passengers and employees.
UNREST AND VIOLENCE CONTINUES
Sadly, acts of violence around the Cape Town taxi strike continued through the weekend with law enforcement officer Zanikhaya Kwinana (33) being brutally killed after his vehicle was attacked in an alleged drive-by shooting in Nyanga.
The Cape Town taxi strike is a developing story, and we will update you with the latest as more information becomes available.