By: Sihle Makhowana

Hundreds of taxi commuters were stranded this morning in the township of Kwandengezi north of Durban following violence among taxi owners.

According to Lindelani Mkhize, a taxi driver from Klaarwater, the taxi strike was feud by recent assassinations of various taxi owners from Kwandengezi.

“I don’t get it why we as the taxi commuters suffer the most when there’s tension within taxi owners,” said Aphiwe Msweli, a taxi commuter from Desai.

“Not so long ago they increased the taxi fare to R17. We were left with no choice but to pay and yet they have the audacity to stop operations.”

According to Mkhize, the Klaarwater Taxi Association and the Dassenhoek Taxi Association were reportedly said to be helping transport people over the weekend but their service was
halted by violence.

“We were helping out over the weekend and we didn’t mind because when such things happen in association, they do come to help as well. It sad that the commuters are the one’s
suffering the most,” added Mkhize.

An angry commuter, Sandile Xaba, from told Journalismiziko about how they have been struggling for transport since last week Friday.

“They have stopped taxis from KwaSanti and Klaarwater that were helping over the weekend and if you follow the story well, you will realise that we as the commuters we fit nowhere in
this violent equation,” said Xaba.

It not clear yet when things are expected to go back to normal.