Commuters and pupils face potential disruption on Wednesday when the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Eastern Cape embarks on a protest over nonpayment of scholar transport operators.
The protest was initially scheduled for Tuesday, but the taxi council postponed it after receiving legal advice.
Operators will march in Bhisho to the office of the premier to deliver a formal memorandum of demands.
Santaco Eastern Cape co-convener Mzwandile Nkewana said the protest had been triggered by the continued nonpayment of scholar transport operators.
“The organisation is demanding urgent and decisive intervention from Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, as the situation has reached a breaking point, with severe consequences for both operators and the thousands of learners who rely on these services daily,” he said.
“For months — and in some cases since the inception of their contracts — transport operators have not received payment for services rendered.”
Nkewana said this had devastating financial consequences, with operators losing vehicles, defaulting on financial obligations and facing the collapse of their businesses.
“The impact on schoolchildren across the province is now critical,” he said.
“Many learners depend entirely on scholar transport to access education and the continued failure to pay operators places their ability to attend school at serious risk.
“Operators have, under extreme financial pressure, continued to provide services in good faith, but this situation is no longer sustainable.”
Nkewana said the protest would push home demands for the immediate settlement of all outstanding scholar transport payments, full transparency and accountability in the administration of contracts, and urgent intervention from the office of the premier.
“It is also intended to alert commuters, businesses and the broader Eastern Cape community to the sustained and unacceptable treatment of taxi operators,” he said.
The taxi body said the provincial government’s failure to pay operators was not an isolated administrative error but part of a persistent and systemic pattern of nonpayment that had continued without consequences.
“Taxi operators have made it clear that they will intensify their action by initiating a continuous picket — day and night — at the office of the premier,” Nkewana said.
“This action will remain in place until all outstanding payments are settled in full, in a single tranche.
“There will be no withdrawal until this demand is met.”
Santaco also warned it would take legal action to recover damages resulting from the nonpayment.
These included claims for interest accrued on outstanding amounts, loss of income suffered by operators and the failure to implement the 6% annual increment and fuel escalation adjustment that were due but never effected.
“With rising fuel costs, operators have been further disadvantaged, as this annual adjustment was intended to account for increasing operational expenses but has not been implemented,” Nkewana said.
“These financial burdens have compounded the crisis and further prejudiced operators who have continued to deliver essential services without compensation.
“Santaco Eastern Cape stresses that the urgency of the situation cannot be overstated and requires immediate government action.”
Provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose declined to comment on the matter, saying the department will engage operators in KuGompo City on Tuesday.
“We will only comment after the meeting,” Binqose said.
Daily Dispatch
Daily Dispatch Correspondent
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