Teams hired to assist passengers at WC taxi ranks amid disruptions

The Western Cape Mobility Department has deployed additional support teams at the Nyanga and Delft taxi ranks, as well as a pop-up service centre at Cape Town Station, to assist commuters amid ongoing taxi-related disruptions. The teams are helping passengers identify the correct taxi lanes, avoid confusion and reduce congestion and long queues. Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku says the priority is to ensure residents can reach their destinations safely, particularly as public transport disruptions continue to affect people’s ability to get to work and return home. Sileku says the department will also remain in contact with taxi industry leadership to address any congestion or challenges that may arise. He says, “Our priority is to help residents to get where they need to go safely. Today (Friday) we have teams at Nyanga and Delft taxi ranks as well as the pop service centre at the Cape Town Station deck to help commuters find the right taxi lanes and avoid confusion and long queues. This is important because we know that public transport disruptions make it difficult for residents to get to work and return home.” ‘Safety is a big worry’ Commuters in Cape Town say the ongoing taxi-related disruptions have left them increasingly concerned about their safety. Mxolisi Dala, who travels from Khayelitsha, says the uncertainty has created fear among commuters, particularly as schoolchildren also rely heavily on taxis for transport. He says the safety of both learners and other passengers should be a priority, urging taxi associations to consider suspending operations temporarily if they cannot resolve their differences. Dala says, “Safety is under question and as you know, you keep on worrying if I am still safe; you keep on worrying if you are still safe. Safety is a big worry, we feel, even myself and the public, that we are not safe under this environment. It’s another big concern, not only matriculants, even the young ones are using school transport to go to school and mostly taxis and it is a big concern in a bigger picture, not only for matriculants.” RELATED VIDEO | Concerns over Cape Town taxi violence: Reporting by Yonda Magubudela.