‘Stay off our routes’ association warns
Trouble is brewing on the roads following the handout of letters to a number of transporters, warning them to stay off the Middelburg and District Taxi Association (MDTA) routes into and out of Mhluzi.
HR City notified the Observer about the tensions brewing between members of the association and private and business transport providers, who ferry their workers to and from their workplaces for free.
Yum Yum Cuisine, a subsidiary of HR City, transports its workers from Mhluzi to town for free since the staff has to clock in at 04:30.
On Monday, the driver of the branded HR City 16-seater was pulled over by members of MDTA and handed a letter informing them that from 31 July, the routes belong to the association and its members exclusively, and if the transport providers want to continue ferrying employees, proof of non-payment of passengers must be provided.
If no proof is provided, companies and transport providers will have to pay the association a staggering R52 000 per month, in order to use the routes.
The letter handed to the HR City driver states: “We highly apologies to notify you all the transportation that, do not belong to Steve Tshwete who are transporting Steve Tshwete residents from Mhluzi to all the mining industries around the Steve Tshwete Routes”.
The horrible rant continues with “There ‘fore the MDTA Association is informing you that, they will be there One’s that are responsible for transporting those mine and factory workers they also have the Transport to that. We alert you that from this day 31-July-2014 u must all stop with immediate effect”.
It warns in very unclear and misspelt terms that “Failer to do so be aware that the members of MDTA will take actions against you”.
On Wednesday, association chairman Mr Elmon Mdhluli, told the Observer that “the deadline for transport providers to stay off their routes had been extended to 6 August”.
The association acts on behalf of more than 200 members with more than 500 taxis on the road, Mr Mdhluli explained.
“If a member goes into eMalahleni and take over another association’s route, he will be stopped,” Mr Mdhluli said.
He told the paper that the association will meet again on 5 August to assemble for the next day’s monitoring of routes.
He said that the association respects HR City’s right to transport staff for free “but we need proof” he insisted.
He said a letter to the effect by HR City boss, Mr Ben van der Merwe, will suffice and keep the MDTA from harassing their driver.
Mr Mdhluli denied that the association is waging a war of intimidation against transport providers and claims that the association is merely protecting their members from going down.
HR City was threatened that their spotless bus “would be taken off the road,” but as to how the association planned to halt them, they have no idea.
