The Western Cape taxi operators' strike and its associated violence reveal much about our country and its politics. Suffering in the middle are commuters and bystanders -- ordinary people held hostage by different actors in our society.

The trigger for the strike by the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) was the ongoing impoundment of minibus taxis by Cape Town officials for breaking certain laws.

The city says it is impounding taxis under the National Land Transport Act. It points out that many other councils in other provinces use the same policy and have often impounded taxis.

It is true that the law treats public transport drivers (which includes minibus taxi drivers and Uber drivers) differently from other drivers.

While a taxi driver may have their vehicle impounded for going through a red traffic light, an ordinary driver would not. The city says these policies have been in place for many years (it also says it has the right to impound your cellphone if you use it while driving).

To release the vehicle, a fee must be paid, which appears to increase for repeat offenders.

Santaco, and those who support it, say that they are only treated like this in Cape Town (this is not true -- taxis are often impounded in other places, including Durban) and that they are being unfairly targeted.

They also claim that this is an existential threat to their industry...