President Cyril Ramaphosa will no longer deliver his Women's Day commemoration message in Khayelitsha on Wednesday due to the “security risk” associated with the taxi unrest in Cape Town.
The department of sport, arts and culture announced on Tuesday that the event will now take place at the Union Buildings' South Lawns in Pretoria.
“This change has been necessitated by the ongoing taxi strike in Cape Town, where Khayelitsha has been deemed a high-security risk area,” the department said.
On Monday, TimesLIVE reported the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) as saying it would continue its strike in the Western Cape after talks with the government to resolve the impasse collapsed at the weekend.
Chaos ensued in the city last week when Santaco abruptly halted minibus taxi operations in the Western Cape after an impasse with Cape Town authorities. This followed a blockade by taxi operators on Tuesday after 15 vehicles were impounded.
The situation escalated into clashes with police and metro police, who used stun grenades to disperse crowds and smashed a window in a taxi to extract protesters. More than 200,000 commuters were affected.
Ramaphosa to commemorate Women’s Day at Union Buildings due to 'high security risk' in Khayelitsha
Image: GCIS
President Cyril Ramaphosa will no longer deliver his Women's Day commemoration message in Khayelitsha on Wednesday due to the “security risk” associated with the taxi unrest in Cape Town.
The department of sport, arts and culture announced on Tuesday that the event will now take place at the Union Buildings' South Lawns in Pretoria.
“This change has been necessitated by the ongoing taxi strike in Cape Town, where Khayelitsha has been deemed a high-security risk area,” the department said.
On Monday, TimesLIVE reported the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) as saying it would continue its strike in the Western Cape after talks with the government to resolve the impasse collapsed at the weekend.
Chaos ensued in the city last week when Santaco abruptly halted minibus taxi operations in the Western Cape after an impasse with Cape Town authorities. This followed a blockade by taxi operators on Tuesday after 15 vehicles were impounded.
The situation escalated into clashes with police and metro police, who used stun grenades to disperse crowds and smashed a window in a taxi to extract protesters. More than 200,000 commuters were affected.
MORE:
LISTEN | Transport minister calls for Cape Town to release impounded taxis, citing city bylaws as cause of friction
'He's not telling the truth': Vavi accuses Smith of lying about impounding taxis in Cape Town
Taxi industry protests: Court interdicts strike-related violence
WATCH | Two dead & 35 suspects arrested as violent taxi strike grips Cape Town
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