TWELVE of their taxis and taxi squad private cars were impounded on Wednesday, 6 March.
On Thursday, 7 March, drivers parked their taxis and no taxi moved in and out of Etwatwa with the angry taxi drivers demanding the taxis and drivers be released.
They said they will not operate regardless how long it takes, leaving workers and pupils stranded on Thursday morning.
Taxi drivers are crying foul over what they call abuse by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), claiming that 12 of their taxis were impounded in Bedfordview over permits.
The taxi drivers told Daily Sun they are forced to operate without permits as they wait three years to get them. "Even though permits are free, officers demanded bribes from us to get them," said a taxi driver.
Queue marshall Natty Warren Limit said they will not operate until the impounded taxis are released.
"It can take weeks. We apologise to the commuters. We had to protest because EMPD is abusing drivers. It happened in Benoni several weeks ago and now it's in Bedfordview. We are tired," he said.
Stranded workers and pupils hiked on roads as taxis were parked at Caltex filling station in Etwatwa.
"I'm going to write first quarter exams today and I may miss them because I didn't get transport to school," said a Springs Secondary School pupil.
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Stranded worker Sarah Ngema: "We didn't know about the taxi strike. I could have notified my employer yesterday."
Other stranded commuters said they tried to use private cars, but some taxi drivers ordered them out.
EMPD spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said the taxi drivers got it wrong as they didn't impound the taxis but were taken by Gauteng traffic police.
But Gauteng traffic spokesman Sello Maremane said they were not aware of the allegations and will investigate.
Meanwhile, taxi drivers went on strike in other parts of Ekurhuleni, which is supported by South African National Taxi Council. They are protesting a tender which was given to a bus company and took over their routes.
Two taxi drivers allegedly died.
Police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said the two deaths happened around Germiston on Wednesday during the conflict.
Zakhele Mavuso, member of Benoni Taxi Association said they are not happy with the treatment they receive from traffic officers."
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