/ 7 April 2005

Police monitor Cape Town taxi ranks

Cape Town police were monitoring taxis in the city on Thursday following a decision to close some ranks to quell recent violence.

”There has been no form of violence this morning. Police are maintaining visibility because of this decision,” Superintendent Billy Jones said.

Certain ranks were ordered closed on Wednesday, with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reporting that this was related to at least four recent deaths linked to disputes among local taxi organisations.

The Western Cape transport minister, Mcebisi Skwatsha, decided to close all taxi ranks affected by violence in the peninsula, SABC news reported.

Skwatsha said taxi operators who fail to comply with the decision will have their route permits confiscated.

Skwatsha met with rival taxi groups Cata and Codeta on Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the taxi conflict.

He said the meeting failed to produce any results. — Sapa