Durban — The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) hit back at all the Twitter users who slammed the council for saying it would not partake in the national shutdown on Wednesday.
People and various organisations were expected to be part of the national shutdown organised by the SA Federation of Trade Unions and Cosatu.
Santaco received verbal attacks from the public after it indicated that it would not participate in the planned national shutdown.
Twitter users were left with a lot to say, especially since it was the second time the taxi council chose not to participate in a national shutdown.
Some people called Santaco ‘sell-outs’ while others said it was captured.
After thousands of tweets directed at Santaco, the council, on Wednesday afternoon, hit back.
In a tweet, Santaco said that on Tuesday, its “decision not to partake in the planned national shutdown was met with attacks, insults and unproven allegations. What’s shocking though, was the hypocrisy.”
The tweet continued as it read that reality checks should be done to put some things into perspective, maybe even for Santaco to share their reasons for not partaking.
Yesterday, our decision not to partake in the planned National shutdown was met with attacks, insults and UNPROVEN allegations. What’s shocking though, was the hypocrisy. Let’s do some reality check and put some things into perspective. Maybe even share our reasons
— SANTACO (@SA_Taxis) August 24, 2022
Santaco went on to say that it once mooted the idea of taxi equity in local taxi manufacturing during New Growth Path process in 2010.
They got no support including from Cosatu that diplomatically dwarfed the idea.
Soon thereafter BAW was launched and there was no equity for taxis.
“Today BAW is in liquidation process and operators who bought their taxis became casualties who lost their only livelihood. We were on our own then,” Santaco’s third tweet read.
Today BAW is in liquidation process and operators who bought their taxis became casualties who lost their only livelihood. We were on our own then.
In a fourth tweet, Santaco said: “During the Covid pandemic when we finally got the 100% loading capacity, it was Cosatu & Saftu that protested against it & took their battle to Nedlac to lobby support that’d force Transport Minister to withdraw it. They defined us as gangsters that forced govt into submission.”
During the Covid pandemic when we finally got the 100% loading capacity, it was COSATU & SAFTU that protested against it & took their battle to Nedlac to lobby support that’d force Transport Minister to withdraw it. They defined us as gangsters that forced govt into submission.
— SANTACO (@SA_Taxis) August 24, 2022
“When we agreed to deal with the matter through a meeting, and further agreed to a collective approach at Nedlac. We weren’t surprised to learn that the Nedlac meeting went South,” Santaco concluded.
When we agreed to deal with the matter through a meeting, and further agreed to a collective approach at Nedlac. We weren’t suprised to learn that the Nedlac meeting went South.
— SANTACO (@SA_Taxis) August 24, 2022
However, despite Santaco’s explanations, here’s what Tweeps had to say:
Every organization has its own strike or grievance against government - you are no different.
We are saying on ur next strike, Pls write letters to trade unions and ask for support so that the working class can choose to part take or also decline and use trains, busses, Uber
🤷♂️
You don't have to explain yourselves SANTACO,you did well by staying away from that march. pic.twitter.com/dDn0AHXAwC
— RipLufuno❤️ (@Tshikhudo_R) August 24, 2022
So this is a pay back from grudge of 2012.please grow up. You are such a huge industry, start buying shares into the companies whose service you use. Try that and see if anyone ignores your voice going forward
— Dlambula 🇧🇷🇷🇺🇮🇳🇨🇳🇿🇦 (@BlaqueXuga) August 24, 2022
There's is nothing wrong revenge, that's why you deal with popcorn unionists in COSATU and SAFTU. We are in the taxi industry to make a living not in unions to live out of poor workers, as some unions leaders do. They are rich out of your subscription.
Nobody cares you said "No". Rest
— Modise (@Mo_dyce) August 24, 2022
On your own from now on we will intensify the hitch-hiking operation since you've shown us your side that is buttered & no harassing each other on the road because we don't have money to pay you
— Simi Shabalala (@simangayec) August 24, 2022
So this is a revenge at a expense of us ?
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