Traffic chaos in Joburg metered taxi strike
A go-slow by a group of metered taxis is causing traffic chaos along the R24. The taxis are all driving at a snail's pace between Edenvale to the O.R. Tambo International Airport.
Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department's Kobeli Mokheseng says they are monitoring the situation.
"The flow of traffic has been severely affected by the go-slow on the R24 freeway in an easterly direction towards O.R. Tambo," she said.
The go-slow started at around 4:30am today.
Meter #TaxiStrike on R24. Take @TheGautrain if ur going to the airport : @jozi117 #JhbTraffic ^NS pic.twitter.com/FCDhzhTMrh
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) March 10, 2017
According to Gauteng Traffic Police's Busaphi Nxumalo, the metered taxis are staging the protest against the app-driven taxi service, Uber.
Nxumalo says they will be impounding the vehicles and arresting the drivers if they continue disrupting traffic.
Members of the Gauteng Traffic Police have been deployed to various parts around the O.R. Tambo International Airport to monitor the situation and direct traffic.
"Our guys are out on the roads in and around Ekurhuleni to ensure that people have access to and from the airport," she said.
#TaxiStrike Drivers are meeting at the cargo area at OR Tambo.
— Maryke Vermaak (@MarykeVermaak) March 10, 2017
They are waiting for a government representative to come address them.
MV pic.twitter.com/q1FDmpXBiE