WC govt mulling another taxi route closure as it awaits warring factions' decision

It's still unclear whether the Western Cape Government will go ahead with its plan to extend the taxi route closures between Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, and Somerset West.

Provincial Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku published a notice of intent to extend the extraordinary measures to close these routes and lanes for a further 30 days.

This, as the initial 30-day court-ordered closure, implemented on September 17, has come to an end.

The closures were put in place following deadly violence linked to a feud over routes between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA) in recent months.

The two rival taxi associations have until 3 o'clock this afternoon to convince MEC Isaac Sileku not to extend the taxi route closures by another month.

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CATA has asked for more time to consult with its members in the affected region of Lwandle near Somerset West.

Sileku said he might not close the routes for long if the associations do come to a binding agreement.

"If we feel in a period of a week, we are comfortable that there's a commitment to say we are going to work with government to find a solution, and while we are looking for a solution, we are not going to intimidate anyone, then we as government can open."

Sileku's urging both associations to come agree to co-exist