CODETA takes fights against route closures in Cape Town to Western Cape High Court

Taxi association CODETA has taken its fight against route closures in Cape Town to the Western Cape High Court.

CODETA has dragged the provincial government to the high court to challenge the 30-day shutdown of routes and specific lanes at taxi ranks.

It’s been two weeks since the implementation of these measures aimed at preventing further taxi-related violence, which has claimed at least 10 lives in Cape Town in recent weeks.

Lawyers representing the provincial mobility department have asked the judge to disregard two submissions made by CODETA in its application to the court.

This includes arguments about loss of income for taxi operators and suffering of commuters due to the taxi route shutdown.

Last week, a court order was issued for both parties to submit additional information relating to transport arrangements made, including buses and trains, to accommodate commuters affected by the shutdown.

The provincial government’s legal team says CODETA’s submissions that commuters were being robbed on buses and were arriving late to work because of buses is irrelevant.

They say the intentions of the court order was not to deal with the adequacy or inadequacy of the services, but the availability of alternative transportation.

The department is adamant that a safe system is in place to ensure the safety of commuters.