Charmaine Nkosi
Thousands of commuters across Durban were left stranded on Thursday morning as the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) launched a two-day strike in protest over vehicle impoundments and delays in permit processing.
The strike, which began in the early hours, saw taxi ranks across the city deserted, leaving workers and students scrambling for alternative transport.
The disruption follows the impounding of 30 taxis last week in the western region of Durban, allegedly due to missing or mismatched operating permits.
Taxi associations from surrounding areas joined the strike in solidarity with drivers from Clermont, where the impoundments occurred.
A meeting held Wednesday evening solidified the decision to escalate the protest, demanding immediate reform of the permit system and the release of impounded vehicles.
Many commuters resorted to hitchhiking, flagging down private vehicles in hopes of reaching their destinations.
SANTACO has not ruled out further action if their demands are not met.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has yet to issue a formal response, but pressure is mounting as the strike continues to paralyze the city’s transport network.
For now, Durban’s streets remain quiet, and its commuters are left navigating a city without its most relied-upon mode of transport
