Stone throwing:

Children are being used in acts of vandalism and stone-throwing in parts of Cape Town.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith, says that officials have been deployed to hot spot areas as the taxi strike holds for a second day.

There are instances where some adults are advising children on how and where to throw rocks at motorists in Dunoon.

Smith says that they are continuing their work to ensure public safety.

A second bus was been set alight in Khayelitsha this morning.

A bus driver also sustained a gun shot wound to his leg.

Other transport services:

Golden Arrow buses will be running their vehicles back and forth to all routes to ensure that everyone gets home.

This promise from the bus services’ spokesperson, Bronwen Dyke-Beyer, comes as last night’s traffic disruptions caused some drivers to finish their work past midnight.

She says that while the road conditions are better today, there will still be delays as more people will be making use of their services because of the taxi strike.

Meanwhile, Metrorail says that its limited staff compliment will result in delays of up to 60 minutes.

This is due to their staff also being impacted by the taxi strike.

School disruptions:

More than 287 000 learners could not go to school today.

This as over 9 500 teachers and staff could also not make it to work.

The Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier says that besides the minibus taxis not running, the violence and chaos overnight and into this morning saw many parents deciding to keep their children at home.

Service disruptions:

The City of Cape Town has suspended its services in volatile areas until further notice, to ensure the safety of their staff.

The City’s waste services have been affected as well, and residents have been urged to rather keep their waste on their property until the backlog is cleared.

Water and Sanitation was also affected due to roadblocks and traffic congestion last night.

Repairs to pipe bursts, sewer blockages and overflows, collecting sludge from wastewater treatment works and water sampling have also been affected.

The strike and resulting chaos has also impacted health services in Cape Town.

Only emergency surgeries will be conducted at the Tygerberg, Red Cross and Groote Schuur Hospitals.

Chief of Operations in the Western Cape Health Department, Dr Saadiq Carriem says that the impact several other health services are operating at a reduced capacity.

This is due to many staff members not being able to get to work due to the strain on public transport and the threat of violence.

An Eskom vehicle has been petrol bombed in Khayelitsha.

According to the power utility the employee was off-duty when the incident occurred.

Eskom’s Distribution Cape Coastal Cluster says it has suspended services in Khayelitsha, Delft, Belhar, Du Noon, Philippi and Fisantekraal.

It adds that there will be delays in response to faults as it exercises extreme caution during this period of sporadic incidents of public violence.

Interdict:

The City of Cape town is pursuing its urgent court interdict.

Mayoral Committee Member for Mobility Councilor Rob Quintas says they are hoping that an interdict will force Santaco back to the joint Minibus Taxi Task Team, from which it had as it was unhappy about the impounding of taxis and the City’s traffic by laws.

They also want the damages caused to public property during this strike to be left at Santaco’s door.

Appeal for talks:

Calls are sounding louder for the national leadership of the taxi council, Santaco to meaningfully intervene in the impasse between the industry and the City of Cape Town.

Chairperson of Parliament’s Select Committee on Transport, Kenneth Mmoiemang says all sides should show leadership and not subject people to the torture witnessed yesterday when taxi bosses abruptly halted operations, leaving thousands stranded.

Groups of people had to walk long and gruelling distances to reach their homes.

Mmoiemang says while issues are understandable, there are times when leaders need to be above and make unpopular concessions.

He says there cannot be an approach that says, “we will show you” or “we are untouchable”.

Employers have also been urged to be considerate and not risk the lives of their employees and let those who are able to work from home to do so.

Victimised:

Santaco in the Western Cape believes that the industry is being suppressed.

Speaking to Radio 786 Santaco’s Nazeem Abdurahman took issue with them still not having a government subsidy and that the Minibus Taxi Task Team, which includes the City of Cape Town and Western Cape government is not making progress.

He says no real action is taking place from that platform as they have raised the impounding of taxis and traffic by-laws there.

He also indicates that the taxi industry wants more lanes to get to their destinations easier.