Taxi association CODETA challenges route closure in court, crying 'unfair punishment'

The taxi association CODETA said it feels it is being wrongly punished by the Western Cape provincial government's decision to close certain routes, a move implemented to curb ongoing taxi violence.

A 30-day taxi shutdown from Mfuleni and Khayelitsha to Somerset West has been in place since last Wednesday. These measures were put in place to prevent further violence linked to a deadly feud between rival taxi associations, Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA), in Cape Town recently. 
Several people have been killed in violence suspected to be linked to the dispute over routes.

CODETA has now taken the provincial government to court over the decision, and the case is scheduled to be heard next Tuesday.

CODETA spokesperson Nceba Enge argues that the closure is an "unfair punishment" and wants the court to overturn the decision.

"Another thing that should be noted is that CODETA was operating for three weeks already on that route without any violence," Enge stated. "Why did the Minister say that the closure of the route is urgent yet there's no violence for three weeks?"

However, Provincial Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku has rubbished CODETA's claims. He argues the association should focus on peace talks rather than pursuing legal action against the government.

"Our door is always open to them to return to the talks," MEC Sileku said. "The sooner they resolve this mess, the better for everyone."