The group of metered taxis, known as the “four plus ones”, caused traffic jams in the city yesterday. They blocked Bok Street in Welkom CBD in protest against these permits issued by the Police, Road and Transport Department in the Free State.

Wuta chairperson, Moses Baloyi, says a group within its ranks is influencing some of the metered taxis to reject the terms and conditions aligned with these permits. He says one of the conditions is that when a taxi is not roadworthy, it will be confiscated and a fine will be issued. Baloyi says the group of protesting taxis is pretending to be at the helm of the association and they are hell-bent on defying the association. Provincial departmental spokesperson, Hillary Mophethe, says the group did not follow a proper procedure in registering their grievances.

 “Indeed there was a strike by metered ‘four plus one’ taxi’s in Bok Street, Welkom, and they seemingly have grievances. That's why they took their grievances to the streets. There are formal procedures to submit grievances. They are submitted to the association but I believe that currently the situation has been addressed and there is calm in Welkom," says Mophethe.

OFM News/Lucky Mkuyane