Five deserted taxis impounded in Brits protest
Police have impounded five taxis left stranded on the N4 near Brits in the North West on Wednesday.
This comes after taxi operators partially blockaded the road connecting Brits, Rustenburg and Pretoria with taxis over the issuing of operating permits.
Spokesperson Adele Myburgh says police are yet to track down the drivers of the deserted vehicles.
"They actually left the taxis there. They left the vehicles there and left so we just took the vehicles, but obviously we will be able to determine ownership of these taxis.
"We have impounded five taxis. We will be investing a case under the National Traffic Act for the reason that these taxis blocked the national highway."
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Several labour unions are in talks with management over wage disputes. The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), as well as the Academic and Professional Staff Association (APSA), are demanding a 7% wage increase. Unisa spokesperson Lusani Netshitomboni says negotiations remain deadlocked. "The deadlock that has arisen from the salary negotiations is ongoing.
According to police, the disgruntled taxi operators were at loggerheads over the granting of operating permits by the provincial government.
"The indication was there's a dissatisfaction due to the issuing of taxi permits that is among the taxi associations in Brits and that is what caused the threat of a shutdown."
Myburgh adds that the road has been cleared for motorists.