Taxi drivers stoning vehicles in Cape Town

[daveza]

No updates on Kenilworth - I would guess that it has been cleared by now but the way things are going anything could happen anywhere.

 

[Yolandi Moodie]

Safe to Go Home

is it safe to go home on the N2?

 

[daveza]

All I can pass on are reports - which say avoid the R300 area on the N2.

If it were me I would keep listening to 567 which has regular updates.

 

[Hogrod]

this is absolutely disgusting, why does some guy on a scooter get his face smashed. It has nothing to do with the damn taxi protest.

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2439617,00.html

Cape Town - A man is recovering in Milnerton Medi-Clinic after he was smashed in the face during what appeared to be a taxi-related protest in Du Noon on Tuesday.

Ludolph Neethling, 34, was left with a broken collarbone and missing teeth after a group of people attacked him on his Vuka scooter early on Tuesday.

The call centre agent was driving on Koeberg road at about 05:55 on his way to gym in Belville when he came across a couch in the road.

"I thought someone was moving it," he told News24. "As I was passing it a whole bunch of people rushed towards me."

One person threw a brick which missed Neethling. Another hit him in the face with a stick. Neethling, who was going at 90km/hour at that point, lost control and fell off his bike. The stick had smashed through his visor, breaking some of his teeth and collar bone.

His scooter was written off, he said.

Taxi protest

In response to his attempt to understand the situation, his attackers said "something about taxis," said Neethling. "I only caught that," he said.

Taxi operators gathered at Cape Town's Kaisergracht Square on Tuesday in protest over government's Bus Rapid Transit system, Sapa reported.

Earlier, some motorists driving down Du Noon's Potsdam Road were stoned, allegedly by taxi operators.

Local radio station 567 CapeTalk reported that the protesters were upset about the introduction of the bus system, which they fear will lead to taxis being phased out.

Neethling said he was "very angry" at being targeted for no reason. "I'm trying to comprehend why they would hurt a stranger if they're upset about something," he said. "It's savage."

He was rushed to hospital by another motorist, who was stopped by a concerned group of people in the area.

He said he would report the incident to the police on Wednesday and possibly lodge a claim with the Road Accident Fund.

- News24

 

[brixton tower]

this is absolutely disgusting, why does some guy on a scooter get his face smashed. It has nothing to do with the damn taxi protest.

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2439617,00.html

^^This is why there is so little sympathy for the taxi/drivers owners.

 

[slowcheetah]

This thing can start to get real ugly taking into account the amount of taxi drivers/owners out there.

 

[Hogrod]

According to reports some of them are drunk. They have to get a drink to gain enough courage to throw a stone or go for a march. They are cowards. I bet most of them don't even know why they are protesting.

 

[slayerza]

Every union / association / club / party etc in this country has too much power. For once the government should just take some action.