The taxi industry in Mthatha, Eastern Cape has threatened to down tools starting on Monday due to non-payment of scholar transport operators.
This might affect teaching and learning in the area. The deputy chairperson of the provincial taxi interim task team, Mxhosa Sobazile alleges that they have been raising the matter with the Provincial Transport department for some time.
Sobazile alleges that they have not received payments for almost four months, "We have a problem. People did not get paid since April and its July now. They cannot service their cars and cannot buy tyres but the department wants them to ferry learners to school. So, we decided that from Monday no scholar transport will take learners to school in the province. We will not be striking but the decision is to not transport learners, taxis will go back to taxi ranks and work there, there will be no strike.
Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose says they are working around the clock to ensure that payments are made, and they are communicating with scholar transport operators to prevent their planned action.
"I can assure you that we are working around the clock to ensure that we process payments to operators, as I'm talking to your now weve got a team of officials who are camped at head office processing those payments. We are also in constant contact with operators to explain the situation, and therefore we remain hopeful that we will find each other and ensure that there is a scholar transport that is rendered come Monday.