The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) confirmed that taxi operators will continue working on June 30, backing police efforts to keep public transport running during planned demonstrations linked to immigration concerns.
The assurance follows a briefing on Wednesday evening between South African Police Service (SAPS) and Santaco leaders as authorities prepare for possible unrest ahead of the June 30 deadline set by March and March activists for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa.
Speaking during the briefing, acting national police commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili Dimpane said SAPS had called in Santaco because of the taxi industry’s influence over millions of commuters and its central role in the country’s transport system.
Dimpane said police had appealed to Santaco to stand with law enforcement and help ensure the taxi industry was not used to destabilise the country, intimidate communities or disrupt economic activity.
“We want to speak directly to the leadership of the taxi industry because of the important role they play in our country and the influence they have over millions of commuters and thousands of taxi operators,” said Dimpane.
She said SAPS wanted June 30 to remain business as usual, with taxis continuing to operate and routes staying open.
“The taxi industry is the backbone of public transport in South Africa. Every day, millions of people rely on taxis to get to work, to get to school, hospitals, and places of business,” she said.
“It is for this reason that we are appealing to every taxi association, every taxi owner, every operator, and every driver across the country to ensure that June 30 remains business as usual.”
Police also warned taxi operators not to allow criminal elements to use the industry for unlawful activity, including blocking highways, intimidating commuters or disrupting public life.
Dimpane said ordinary South Africans would suffer most if instability broke out.
“When roads are blocked, workers cannot go to work. When transport is disrupted, learners cannot go to school. When businesses close, livelihoods are affected. When violence erupts, innocent people suffer,” she said.
She said law enforcement agencies would be deployed across the country on June 30 and were ready to act against criminal behaviour.
“We will protect those who wish to protest peacefully and lawfully. However, any attempts to block roads, intimidate commuters, damage infrastructure, disrupt public transport networks, or engage in violence will be dealt with swiftly and decisively,” she said.
Santaco president Motlhabane Abnar Tsebe said the taxi industry had distanced itself from social media claims that the council had threatened organisers of the March and March protests or opposed the protest itself.
Tsebe said Santaco was not against people exercising their constitutional rights, but would not support any action that disrupted transport operations, harmed the economy or put the public at risk.
“Our business is the movement of people,” he said.
“Every day our members transport commuters from point A to places of employment, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, places of worship, businesses, and other amenities that form part of everyday life in South Africa.”
He said Santaco had no role in deciding immigration policy or enforcing immigration laws, and that South Africa’s immigration challenges should be addressed through lawful engagement, effective governance and consistent enforcement of existing laws.
Tsebe also assured commuters that taxi operators were not preparing to join the protests or shut down services.
“We can assure you that our members and our drivers want to work. So we are officially saying it’s business as usual,” he said.
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