Motorists across South Africa are raising concerns over reports of taxi patrollers allegedly harassing and blocking private drivers who pick up hitchhikers.
The issue gained widespread attention after a recent viral video showed a taxi patrol car purportedly obstructing a private vehicle on a highway after the driver had given a ride to passengers.
Reports suggest that this behaviour is prevalent in various provinces, with many complaints originating from areas within the Gauteng province.
Speaking on VOC’s Sunday Live show, Mandla Hermanus, Chairman of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in the Western Cape, stated that the situation in the Western Cape has not escalated to the level reported in other provinces.
“Fortunately, this is not prevalent in the Western Cape, although sometimes there are tensions between minibus taxi drivers and Uber drivers,” Hermanus said.
“It hasn’t reached the level we’re seeing elsewhere in the country, and this is something we, as leaders in the minibus taxi industry, have to actively discourage.”
For the full interview with Mandla Hermanus, listen below:
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm/Stockfile
