#TaxiStrike: violence erupts across Cape Town as taxi operators strike

Update: The taxi strike has reportedly been suspended.

BREAKING: Taxi operations to resume by 1pm lunch time. Strike has been suspended #TaxiStrike pic.twitter.com/dGIL0IQ4Wf

— Athi Mtongana (@Artii_M) September 18, 2017

Original article: #TaxiStrike has usurped #MondayMotivation as today’s the top trending hashtag as taxi violence erupted across the Cape Town metropole.

Taxi operators are reportedly requesting assistance from the Western Cape MEC of transport to address the recent increase in impounded taxis and the region’s taxi associations’ leadership structures.

MUST READ: Cape Town Taxi Strike: get realtime traffic data with this nifty map

News of the strike first surfaced on Sunday, but the hashtag #TaxiStrike began trending across Twitter early Monday as it turned violent.

Thousands of commuters in the Western Cape may be stranded tomorrow due to a #TaxiStrike by members of CATA & CODETA #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/p4BWGA4H9h

— Sphiwe Hobasi (@MrCow_man) September 17, 2017

PSA: Taxi Strike in the Western Cape on Monday, 18 Sep… RT for awareness… pic.twitter.com/wYN447o4Um

— Babes WePetition (@Neli_Ngqulana) September 16, 2017

A number of Golden Arrow buses were attacked by strike participants, with at least one bus set alight in Delft South.

#taxistrike: The remains of a Golden Arrow bus that was set alight on the Delft Main Road this morning.@TheCapeArgus pic.twitter.com/Y5iHrrhn06

— Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) September 18, 2017

#CPTTraffic Bus Alight: in Mango Street Delft due to the #taxistrike please avoid the delft area pic.twitter.com/2bic4y9F9d

— Safe Freeway Project (@SafeN2Project) September 18, 2017

Passengers on buses have also been injured, reported Quinton Mtyala.

Golden Arrow commuter injured when the bus came under attack this morning. #TaxiStrike pic.twitter.com/Dob1YyeDcF

— Quinton Mtyala (@mtyala) September 18, 2017

Areas affected by the strike include suburbs as far west as Westlake and as far east as Joostenberg, heading into Stellenbosch.

Cape Town – #TaxiStrike Steenberg Road: Protests / Unrest at Westlake – HEAVY TRAFFIC in the area

— Rob Beezy (@TrafficSA) September 18, 2017

Cape Town – #TaxiStrike Protest: N1 Inbound, ROAD CLOSED at Joostenberg – divert to R101 pic.twitter.com/Kt6gjWPiDr

— Rob Beezy (@TrafficSA) September 18, 2017

The southern suburbs’ economic hub of Wynberg has also been affected.

#TaxiStrike its so bad in wynberg, cars are stoned.Uber drivers are not welcomed this side

— Colleen (@colleenMolotsi) September 18, 2017

Cape Town arterial routes — the N2 and N7 — were also the scenes of violence. A MyCiti bus was reportedly set alight on the N2.

They are stoning cars along N2 , be safe and stay indoors ,
Cape town roads are dangerous today #TaxiStrike

— rabelani lidzhade (@rabelaniCPT) September 18, 2017

#TaxiStrike A Myciti bus has been torched on the N2 near the R300. The N2 incoming has been closed.N7 closed between Plattekloof and Potsdam

— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 18, 2017

Key MyCiti bus routes, as a result, have also been suspended.

#MyCiTiAlert: Buses on routes D01, D02, D03, D04 and A01 have been suspended until further notice.

— MyCiTi Bus (@MyCiTiBus) September 18, 2017

Cape Town’s Metrorail train service currently remains unaffected by the strike.

A number of key political figures, including Cape town Mayor Patricia de Lille and South Africa’s police minister Fikile Mbalula have yet to issue a statement.

The is a developing story…

Feature image: adamina via Flickr (CC BY 2.0, resized)