CATA and CODETA agree to a week of calm amid taxi violence

Taxi associations CATA and CODETA have agreed to a week of calm as mediation efforts begin following recent violence linked to the ongoing taxi conflict in the Western Cape.

Representatives from the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA), the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA), SANTACO Western Cape, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government met on Monday, 2 November, to discuss the conflict that escalated last week, Cape {town} Etc reports.

The meeting brought the different parties together to discuss the situation, with each side given an opportunity to present its concerns and listen to the other.

Following the discussions, both CATA and CODETA committed ending the violence and participating in an independently facilitated process amid at adressing the underlying causes of the conflict.

Mediation process to begin with separate meetings

The first stage of the process will involve separate meetings between each taxi association and City and provincial officials.

SANTACO representatives will also attend these engagements, observing the process with a facilitator guiding the discussions.

The purpose of the meetings is to give both associations an opportunity to raise their concerns and identify the priority issues that need to be addressed.

According to SANTACO Western Cape, these engagements will begin next week, with the aim of identifying key concerns of a follow-up meeting with government scheduled for Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

Once the individual engagements have been completed, all parties will meet again to discuss possible solutions that both associations can accept.

Recent taxi violence adds urgency to discussions

The meeting follows a period of violence involving the Western Cape taxi industry, with shootings reported amid tensions between taxi associations.

On 28 October, two people were injured in a shooting at the Palm taxi rank in Delft, according to reports. The incident prompted the temporary closure of the facility.

The violence has also been reported in other parts of the province, with disputes involving taxi routes and operating rights featuring among the issues raised by authorities.

The Western Cape Government has also confirmed that the High Court granted an interim interdict against the taxi associations amid the ongoing conflict.

SANTACO Western Cape has acknowledged that the violence has disrupted taxi operations, threatened daily travelers safety and resulted in the tragic loss of lives. The council also recognised the fear and uncertinty experienced by travelers and communities affected by the situation.

SANTACO calls for lasting peace

SANTACO Western Cape Provincial Chairperson Besuthu Ndungane welcomed the commitments made during the engagment but stressed that the parties must follow through on their promises.

” Today’s engagment is an important step towards restoring peace and stability in our industry. However, commitments alone are enough. We call on parties to honour their word and ensure that no more lives are lost over disputes that can be resolved through dialogue.”

The council has also urgerd commuters to rely on verified information from official communication channels when seeking updated about taxi operations and affected routes.

Focus turns to maintaining calm

With both associations agreeing to a week of calm, attention now turns to the mediation process and the discussions between the parties.

The next stage will involve identifying the outstanding issues before bringing everyone back together to consider possible solutions.

SANTACO WC says lasting peace in the taxi industry will require dialogue, cooperation and accountibility, while reaffirming its commitment to working with stakeholders to restore stability and support to be continued operation of public transport services.

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**Picture: **Khaya Motsa / Pexels

The post CATA and CODETA agree to a week of calm amid taxi violence appeared first on Cape Town ETC.