- Taxi drivers in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro have blocked major routes in the area with rubbish and burning tyres.
- They are at loggerhead with their bosses who have reportedly kept Covid-19 relief funding, meant for taxi drivers, for themselves.
- The Uncedo Taxi Association said the clash started after the Department of Labour told a taxi driver it had paid funds meant for them to the association.
Thousands of commuters were left stranded in Gqeberha on Tuesday after taxi drivers blocked roads with burning tyres over claims their bosses had kept Covid-19 relief funding for themselves.
All taxi operations in the area have grounded to a halt, with an Uber driver's car and Quantum taxi being set alight in Nooitgedagt and Old Uitenhage roads, respectively.
The police said a truck was hijacked on the N2 and looted by about 1 000 people near the BAIC Corporation.
Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beegte said vehicles were also attacked when protesters barricaded the roads.
He added while the police were deployed to the roads that were barricaded, within an hour of them being opened, protesters barricaded them again.
The police confirmed seven people have been arrested on charges of damaging of infrastructure.
The protest erupted after taxi drivers and their bosses, affiliated to the Uncedo Taxi Association, clashed over outstanding Covid-19 relief payments.
Rumour
The association's chairperson, Elvis Zamani, said taxi drivers were up in arms over a rumour that it was keeping the funds meant for drivers for themselves.
Zamani added the drivers heard a rumour the Department of Labour had paid the funds to the association.
"As I talk to you, we are converged at the Njoli taxi rank with the drivers and we are all going to the labour department offices to get an explanation over this rumour that has put us in this situation. As Uncedo, I can confirm that no such funds were paid to our association by the Department of Labour," he said.
Eastern Cape labour department spokesperson Ziphozethu Josefu said the matter was being investigated by the Gqeberha office.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Region Taxi Council's general-secretary, Andile Andries, said a meeting had been called by the council to get all the details from the Uncedo Taxi Association.
Andries added the Uncedo protesters have been joined by their Border Alliance Taxi Association colleagues.
He said the council would try and resolve the dispute.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has condemned the protest.
"While we all have the constitutionally guaranteed right to engage in peaceful protest, it cannot be that we will allow for the destruction of both public and private property.
"The disruption of normal daily activities, including the forceful closure of businesses and schools, in a country of laws such as ours, can never be tolerated," he said.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber also condemned the protest, saying it was harming the local economy.
Its acting CEO, Prince Matonsi, said: "The cessation of work mean that business cannot operate at its full capacity, which can be damaging to the economy.
"While the business chamber recognises the right to strike, however, the destruction of and damage to infrastructure is both expensive and regressive. We hope for a swift resolution."
Beegte said since 06:00, various points in the metro were affected by the protest, where burning tyres and rubbish were strewn on the streets, blocking traffic flow.
He added the R75 between Chatty Dip and Despatch, all the way to the front of the Kwadwesi police station, had also been blocked.
Beegte said various sections of the R335, next to Motherwell and Ikamvelihle, have also been blocked, adding the M17, Johnson Road, Koyana Street, Njoli Street, Spondo Road and Mavuso Road were also affected.