SANDF and SAPS personnel have moved to restore order on R80 Mabopane Highway after taxis were used to block the early morning traffic into the capital in protest to R1.135 billion Covid-19 relief fund for the transport industry.
The taxi owners are demanding a bigger share in the government’s relief efforts for the transport industry.
This demand was in light of the informal industry losing an estimated R25 million a day to lockdown regulations.
On Monday morning several roads in Gauteng were blockaded by the protesting taxi owners.
On R80 Mabopane highway between Soshanguve and Tshwane, soldiers and police officers teamed up to clear the blockade by the taxi owners.
SABC Tshepiso Moche tweeted videos of events as they happened.
In the first video, taxis blocked the busy highway causing a major traffic backlog.
VIDEO: Taxi operators have partially closed R80 highway coming from Soshanguve direction. #Taxistrike #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/JU1slPp1GG
— Tshepiso Moche (@tshepimoche) June 22, 2020
Soldiers and police came in full force to remove the taxis.
VIDEO: #SANDF and SAPS officials arriving to open the blocked R80 Mabopane Highway coming from Soshanguve direction. #Taxistrike #TaxiShutdown #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/ABPVvOJ0RI
— Tshepiso Moche (@tshepimoche) June 22, 2020
After failed lengthy negotiations to have the taxis removed, an order was issued for them to move or face the consequences with soldiers lining up on the side.
VIDEO: Soldiers and SAPS ordering protesting taxi operators to open the road in 5 minutes #Taxistrike #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/AOWMyCXIE5
— Tshepiso Moche (@tshepimoche) June 22, 2020
Traffic flows again in both directions after taxi operators left.
VIDEO : Traffic is now flowing to both directions after soldiers ordered taxi operators to open the blocked road on as you leave Soshanguve joining the R80 Mabopane Highway #sabcnews #Taxistrike #TaxiShutdown pic.twitter.com/1aW8onw4TW
— Tshepiso Moche (@tshepimoche) June 22, 2020
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