The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has called an immediate end to its taxi strike.
The taxi council announced the declaration late on Thursday, as the strike approached its ninth day.
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The strike caused road closures and turmoil in Cape Town, killing at least five people.
Mandla Hermanus, Chairperson of Santaco Western Cape, said the immediate end of the strike comes after “painstaking deliberation and immense pressure” on all parties involved.
“As part of the resolution reached between the Taxi Industry and the Government, there is an agreement that the next 14 days will be utilised to work towards the release of the vehicles that were wrongly impounded.
“A heartfelt thank you goes out to each and every one of you for your patience, resilience, and unwavering resolve during these challenging times.
“We pledge our ongoing commitment to serve our communities with integrity, ensuring such incidents do not repeat in the future,” said Hermanus.
Hermanus also expressed sympathy to the families of the five individuals killed in the deadly minibus taxi strike that began on 3 August 2023, including a 40-year-old British national and a police officer.
“On behalf of Santaco Western Cape, I convey our sincerest condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives during the stay away. We stand with you in this time of grief and offer our profound sympathies.
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“We also extend our heartfelt sympathy to everyone who was negatively affected by the events of the past days. It deeply saddens and disappoints us that it took this long for all parties to find a resolution.
“The wellbeing of our community and the public at large has always been our top priority, and it pains us to witness the unnecessary pain and suffering that transpired,” Hermanus said.
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