‘Our pleas have been ignored’: Joburg taxi operators gather in CBD protesting unpaid compensation
The operators said they were initially promised compensation of over R830,000 per vehicle to withdraw their services, creating space for the seamless operation of the Bus Rapid Transit system.
Picture: © Alexey Stiop /123rf.com
JOHANNESBURG - Disgruntled Johannesburg taxi operators have gathered in the heart of the CBD, protesting unpaid compensation linked to the Rea Vaya bus service nearly a decade ago.
The operators said they were initially promised compensation of over R830,000 per vehicle to withdraw their services, creating space for the seamless operation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
They claim the last payment from the city was in 2016.
On Thursday, the operators plan to hand-deliver a memorandum of demands to Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero.
The payment agreement was structured in phases, specifically Phases 1A and 1B, intended to cover compensation until 2023, with an alleged payout of R70 million per month for approximately 317 taxis.
Taxi owners said the last payment they received was in mid- 2015.
Vusumuzi Mntambo, spokesperson for the Top Six Taxi Organisation, which represents multiple associations, explained their plight.
"The national department has continued to pay that money, but it has never reached the intended recipients. We have made numerous attempts to engage with the city, but our pleas have been ignored."
More operators continue to arrive as the group prepares for a 1.4-kilometre march to Morero’s offices.