Another taxi route shutdown looms, as impasse between CATA and CODETA continues

A possibility of another 30-day taxi routes shutdown looms, as rival taxi associations CATA and CODETA show no sign of finding a solution to their impasse.

An initial 30-day court ordered closure of taxi routes and lanes between Khayelitsha, Mfuleni and Somerset West has come and gone.

Western Cape Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku is considering extending the closure for another 30 days and has given both associations until 3pm to show why he shouldn't.

The closures were put in place following deadly violence linked to a feud over routes between CATA and CODETA in recent months.

CODETA's Makhiosandile Tumana is calling for an independent party to facilitate peace talks…

“CATA and CODETA are in the centre of this dispute one side is benefiting and the other is demanding, so that is where the challenge is and it's not going to be easy to find a solution between CATA and CODETA. That was the reason we were supporting the intervention of Mr Leonard Ramatlakane as he was interested to intervene or anybody who can be neutral so that we can table all our challenges as an industry."

CATA's Nkululeko Sityebi said that any suggestions of peace talks will have to wait until the association’s elections are done.

"There might be a direction by next week where are we heading to but it's not definite but probably late next week or by mid-week there will be direction. But we have elections on Thursday which we think are also important to us in order to have structure that is well formed at CATA that will be able to tackle issues like these."