Thousands of employees‚ students and scholars were unable to able to get to work‚ school and college on Wednesday morning as taxis blockaded roads and national highways.
The South African Taxi Association planned a legal protest on Wednesday claiming that taxi manufacturer Toyota had hiked prices of the Quantum vehicle used to transport passengers.
The association were granted permission to march from Isipingo Beach to the factory in Prospecton to hand over a memorandum.
However by as early as 5am Wednesday morning‚ dozens of taxis had blockaded roads and highways from the south to the north coast.
Isipingo resident Anton Abrahams said he and his partner left their home at about 6.30am when they were confronted by burning tyres at the Joyner Road and Platt Drive intersection.
He said they managed to circumvent the tyres and drove on‚ only to be confronted by more burning tyres.
Abrahams said a few tense minutes later‚ they managed to turn around and head back to their house.
"I couldn't believe that within minutes the road was blocked and we were prevented from going to work. I only saw one cop. I didn't even know what this protest was about."
Another Isipingo resident said he was unable to send his two children to school.
"I have so many things to do today and now I'm stuck at home."
A Durban man who caught an early morning flight to Johannesburg said while travelling north on the N2 to the airport‚ he saw taxis were lined up on the off ramps near Inanda Road.
"A colleague from Richards Bay was unable to make his flight because of the taxis and backlog near the Umvoti plaza."
- TMG Digital/TimesLIVE
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