Concerns have been raised over a letter on the letterhead of a taxi association warning scholar transport drivers not to pick up schoolchildren older than 10 so that they are forced to use minibus taxis. (Thabo Monama/Daily Sun)
- A letter on a Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) letterhead has been circulated on social media.
- It warns scholar transport drivers not to pick up schoolchildren older than 10 so that they are forced to use minibus taxis.
- The SA Taxi Association said it did not promote such letters and CATA is investigate the matter internally.
Parents in some parts of Cape Town fear for their children’s safety after they were alerted to a letter, purportedly from a Cape Town taxi association, in which scholar transport drivers were instructed not to pick up children older than 10 from next month so that they would be forced to use minibus taxis.
Pupils in Masiphumelele, Nyanga, Fish Hoek, Mitchells Plain, Simon’s Town, and Wynberg appear to be affected by the instruction, which is on a Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) letterhead.
But SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) public relations officer Makhosandile Tumana said the council was not aware of the letter.
“We were not aware of the circulating letter, and we do not promote such letters. With that matter, we will reach out to the CATA president regarding this matter,” Tumana said.
He apologised to the parents of the affected schoolchildren.
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CATA spokesperson Nonkululeko Sityebi said the association was aware of the letter and added that “we are investigating this matter internally”.
Nyanga mom Lihle Nqokoto has two daughters, aged 12 and eight, who attend school in Simon’s Town.
She said she saw the letter circulating but hadn’t heard anything from their scholar transport driver.
“My daughter is just 12; she can’t walk to the taxi rank at 06:00,” she said. The 8-year-old fears walking in Nyanga, even during the day.
“I would rather drop my children off if this is how they want to handle things,” she added.
Nqokoto believes her children are safer travelling to school together.
“My 12-year-old daughter has a phone, and that’s how I stay in touch with both of them in the morning after they’ve left and in the afternoon on their way back. How am I supposed to reach them when they’re separated?” she asked.
Nqokoto questioned why people were being told how to live their lives if South Africa was supposed to be a free country.
“If it’s not the politicians stealing from the poor, then it’s this nonsense,” she snapped.
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News24 spoke to several minibus drivers from various areas, and all of them denied knowledge of the letter, which has been circulated on social media.
“It must be all fake news. We, as drivers, don’t chuck children out of our vehicles. The school children’s trips are what bring us money daily. When they go on school holidays, we feel it, so why would we do such a dumb thing?” said a Mitchells Plain taxi driver.
Another driver from Nyanga said he had never seen the letter.
“We, as drivers, are on a lot of WhatsApp groups. There was nothing posted about such nonsense. Whoever drew up that letter is trying to cause unnecessary panic because this is all fake news,” he said.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “The WCED was made aware of a letter that CATA was distributing.
The matter has been referred to the Department of Mobility for their attention and for further enquiry.
“This does not affect the WCED Learner Transport Scheme but independent private transport. We are, however, concerned about the effects on attendance and will monitor this accordingly,” Hammond said.
Cape Flats Safety Forum spokesperson Lynn Phillips said that the request to have children walk to taxi ranks had concerning implications for their safety.
“We are astonished by this letter,” she added.
“We can’t be kept hostage by taxi owners who show no remorse when our kids are killed in road accidents by irresponsible taxi drivers. As parents, we have the right to ensure our children’s safety by requesting reliable scholar transport services.”
Phillips added that the instruction was “a form of extortion”.
“We as commuters have the right to decide who should transport our kids as their safety is paramount.”
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Mobility department spokesperson Muneera Allie said the department was aware of the letter.
“A meeting was held with various law enforcement stakeholders, and attempts were being made to meet with CATA to resolve the matter.
“Law enforcement officers from the various stakeholders are being deployed to the relevant areas to monitor the situation and ensure safety of all,” Allie said.