No End in Sight to Deadly Cape Town Minibus Taxi Protest
- Five people have been killed so far in strike-related violence
- South African president urges dialog to resolve standoff
A burnt out bus and Healthnet taxi on the N2 near Langa following taxi strikes.
Photographer: Brenton Geach/Gallo Images/Getty Images
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A strike by minibus taxi drivers in Cape Town triggered violence that’s claimed the lives of five people and shows no signs of ending, as authorities in South Africa’s second-largest city refuse to bow to their demands to release impounded vehicles.
The drivers began demonstrating last week against the authorities’ decision to seize taxis that weren’t roadworthy or whose owners hadn’t paid traffic fines. Several rounds of talks aimed at resolving the impasse have failed and the South African National Taxi Council said the protest will continue until at least the end of the week.