Video

KNYSNA NEWS AND VIDEO - Marchers taking part in today's taxi protest, organised by the Knysna Taxi Forum, have reached KwikSpar in Knysna.

Both lanes of the road are blocked.

The marchers are dancing and singing songs of liberation.

They will be making their way to the Knysna police station shortly and then to Knysna municipality's offices in Clyde Street.

The march is peaceful and being monitored by law enforcement.

Knysna town is fairly quiet this morning, as is the Village Mall. Some shops in the mall are closed as staff could not go to work without the taxis.

Watch a video below.

According to Knysna Taxi Forum secretary, Mandla Tyololo, the march is for the following reasons:

1. We need clean and safe public toilets and security at our taxi rank, Sanlam and Masifunde [library]
2. Knysna municipality is refusing to grant us taxi operating licenses and yet they are confiscating our vehicles and when we pay a lot of money, release them.
3. Traffic lights (robots) at Sanlam and Lemko.
4. Pick-up and drop-off zones (stops) in our locations.
5. Drop-off zone at Oupad (eGeythini).
6. Abuse of public and taxi drivers by traffic officers.
7. Uneven roads in our locations.
8. Taxi officers at the taxi rank.

Court and Police grievances

1. Slow and poor service of the police in attending public complaints.
2. Withdrawal of reported cases without consulting with the complainant.
3. Granting of bails to accused people on serious cases like rape, house robberies, theft, murders and many more without knowledge of complainants and family members concerned. 

Some shops in the Village Mall are closed. 

Read a previous article: Taxi protest update

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