President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the taxi industry, the Western Cape provincial government and the City of Cape Town to enter back into negotiations.
Speaking at the Women’s Day celebrations at the Union Buildings on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the government was disturbed by the events in Cape Town.
The event was moved from Khayelitsha to the Union Buildings after the area was deemed a high security risk due the taxi strike.
The strike started last Thursday, as the taxi industry complained about the newly-implemented by-law that impounded their mini-bus taxis.
“While our democracy protects peaceful protests as well as lawful strike action, we cannot condone what has been happening in Cape Town,” Ramaphosa said.
“We strongly condemn the violence and destruction caused by this dispute. We are appalled by the killings and assaults that have taken place because women have been injured in all of this.”
Ramaphosa said the blocking of roads, education and health services impeded the services that should have gone to women.
“We must uphold the law and we must solve problems through meaningful dialogue. Dialogue is the best way of resolving problems and we need to engage in a dialogue and when you engage in a dialogue it means that much as the situation may be difficult we need to settle down and all parties must come together to engage in a dialogue without resorting to violence,” he said.
The president said they were thinking about the women of Khayelitsha and the rest of Cape Town as well as men and families who tried to go about their lives in peace and in safety in the area.
“We also have a responsibility to protect lives and livelihoods. We all have a responsibility to build a safe and peaceful society,” Ramaphosa said.
Cape Times