THE taxi industry will not be part of Wednesday’s national shutdown, according to the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco).
Labour federations SAFTU and COSATU have called on all South Africans to stay at home on Wednesday in support of its national shutdown.
Millions of South Africans across the country are either expected to stay at home or join the national shutdown against the high cost of living.
“Santaco would like to pronounce that Santaco is not part of any shutdown or any stay away that is planned by whomever, we are not part of it,” according to Santaco’s Bafana Magagula.
The taxi alliance, which is one of the biggest associations in the country, said it has turned down numerous requests to participate in the national shutdown.
More than 200 unions, civil society groups and political parties are expected to join the SAFT and COSATU strike on Wednesday to protest against spiraling costs of living.
The protest is planned for most provinces, with thousands expected to join marches calling for government intervention in the cost of living crisis.
In Pretoria, marches are expected to meet at Burger’s Park before heading to the Union Building to hand over a memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The aim of the strike is to shut down the economy to bring attention to several grievances raised by the unions.
COSATU said the strike was called in terms of Section 77 Socio-Economic Protest Action, which means “workers will be protected to join the strike. In terms of the law, no employer will intimidate or victimise any worker who wants to join the strike.”
Since June 2021, the cost of the food basket has risen by 14.29%, electricity prices swelled by 16.53%, and in the same observed period, fuel rates increased by a staggering 52%.
Transport and food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) accounted for just over half of the annual rate, with sharp price increases recorded in both categories.
Fuel, in particular, continues to be a major contributor: if the impact of fuel is removed from the CPI reading in May, the headline rate falls to 5.1% from 6.5%.
Diesel prices jumped by 8.1% between April and May, taking the annual rate to over 45%.
The average price of a litre of diesel in May 2021 was R16.20 – meaning it costs R729 to fill a 45-litre tank.
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