Vadi is selfish: WATA taxi owner

The Witwatersrand Taxi Association (WATA) have accused Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi of taking a selfish decision to shut down major Soweto routes.

Vadi this week closed major taxi routes that have been at the centre of violent disputes between taxi associations.

"The MEC isn't a person who comes to the ground and speak to us taxi owners. He undermines us and thinks we are illiterate human beings who can't sit down and have a decent conversation‚" said a taxi owner operating under WATA‚ who asked not to be named.

"He is totally different from his predecessors and MECs from other provinces who are and were able to have a round table discussion and come with solutions."

He said recent violence could have been avoided.

"We shouldn't have gotten to a point where people lose their lives because‚ had Vadi intervened much earlier‚ we would not be in this situation. But because we have an arrogant MEC‚ we are where we are because of him. It was easy for him to take this decision because it doesn't directly affect him because he gets paid anyway‚" the owner said.

On Tuesday Vadi announced the closure of ranks and routes in Soweto‚ including Mofolo Kwa-Mthethwa Informal Taxi Rank‚ Makhetha Stores Informal Taxi Rank‚ Dube Station Taxi Rank‚ Makhetha Garage (Phefeni) Taxi Rank and Uncle Tom's Taxi Rank.

This follows a protracted route dispute between two warring associations in the township‚ namely WATA and Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association (NANDUWE).

The owner said taxi owners and commuters were all affected.

He said the shutdown was unfair to taxi drivers who get paid on a daily basis in order feed their families.

He accused the MEC of being no different to the government before democracy.

"Vadi is no different to the apartheid government who didn't care about the lives of black people. The idea of shutting down the rank is a useless decision because‚ where there are disputes‚ you intervene and find amicable solutions‚ not to tell people not to operate and think the problem will be solved‚" added the owner‚ who was flanked by his associates.

Vadi was not immediately available for comment as his phone went unanswered.

-TimesLIVE