Amid claims of a possible mass taxi stay away, Cape Town taxi officials said a meeting has been scheduled for today following violent clashes between taxi operators, law enforcement officers and police this week.

An EWN report notes that chaos erupted in the CBD on Tuesday afternoon, after angry taxi operators staged a protest at the entrance of the station deck taxi rank after a number of vehicles were impounded.

They are unhappy with a new by-law affecting their operations.

Taxi council Santaco in the Western Cape and the National Taxi Alliance have confirmed members will meet before the weekend to discuss the latest developments.

Traffic officers impounded 15 public transport vehicles resulting in a blockade by taxi drivers. The situation quickly turned volatile after a traffic officer was assaulted and other officers came under fire, with them lobbing stun grenades and tear gas in response.

The National Taxi Alliance's Theo Malele said 'no amount of violence can resolve issues...only dialogue can make us a better people’.

Full EWN report

The ANC in the Western Cape claims the enforcement of a new amended traffic by-law in Cape Town, is draconian.

Another EWN report notes that the by-law gives traffic officers the power to impound unroadworthy vehicles on the spot.

There are now claims of a possible mass taxi stay away next week.

ANC MP, Faiez Jacobs, is calling for a moratorium on impoundments.

‘The display of the city is what we’ve come to expect from JP Smith and the city troops. The city must work cooperatively with the taxi structures and find alternative solutions to address the comments that they seek to address,’ said Jacobs.

He said the local taxi industry is the backbone of public transport in Cape Town.

‘We support the taxi industry and its quest to have their grievances against the impounding of vehicles be heard and we reiterate the call for an immediate moratorium,’ he said.

Full EWN report