GIVING your colleagues a lift to work might be a good idea.
But taxi drivers don’t seem to think so.
They think lift clubs are taking their jobs.
So they impound a car with more than three passengers.
The owner had to pay between R500 and R1 500 to get the car back or lose it.
Gatvol motorists contacted Daily Sun after their cars were impounded on Monday by Randburg United Local and Long Distance Taxi Association.
“This has to stop. We are working for the same company and now we have to suffer because of some greedy taxi drivers,” said motorist Godfrey Khoza.
Another motorist Boitumelo Khosi said they were once forced to pay R1 500.
“We were stopped by another taxi association and forced to pay R1 500. They told us the fine will allow us to travel problem free as no one was going to stop us anymore,” said Boitumelo.
Private cars, Toyota Avanzas and other vehicles were locked up at a pound on West and Hill streets in Randburg.
The SunTeam saw motorists going in one by one to collect their cars after paying R500.
Others were stranded on the side of the road trying to figure out where they would get the money. Some refused to be photographed as they feared being targeted.
Taximen told Daily Sun they would not allow cars which don’t belong to a taxi association to ferry passengers without permission.
South African National Taxi Council spokesman Zweli Mtuze said any transport involved with payment, even if it’s a lift club, is automatically operating illegally.
“We are not encouraging our members to harass people. They should instead involve police. The problem is that government is not helping and that is why taxi drivers are helping themselves.”
