South Coast residents furious amid ongoing public transport strike
As KZN transport authorities meet with taxi bosses on Tuesday afternoon, south coast residents have expressed their frustration at the ongoing taxi and bus strike in the area.
Members of the Ugu Taxi Association have downed tools amid a dispute with law enforcement over the impounding of 30 minibuses during an anti-crime operation.
On Tuesday morning, protesters torched a car at Murchison, turning the area into a no-go zone.
READ: Taxis, bus services not running on KZN south coast
Police later fired rubber bullets to disperse them.
South Coast resident Lisa Pereira said that she had to miss an important meeting.
"We had a very important meeting in Margate, but due to the strikes and the riots, we were forced to miss it. We only had today to meet this person. It is really bad."
Business owner Lesley Colmer says her staff are unable to come to work.
"I live in Palm Beach and I currently have international visitors and they are now going to miss their flights out of Durban airport. So what the damage this does for tourism, not to mention the staff not being able to come into work, is immeasurable. It is affecting us quite badly."
ALSO READ: Tuesday morning taxi protest turns N2 into no-go zone
Another local believes there's lawlessness within the public transport sector - saying it's concerning.
"The taxis are out there just to pester us every day of our lives. They stop where they want and turn where they want, and block a road. If you try to say anything, they break your car and we don't have a government to protect us. I don't know what they really want. Are they running this country now or are there government officials running this country?"
MEC Siboniso Duma has called a meeting with the Ugu Taxi Association and taxi council SANTACO to try to resolve the issue.
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