Cape Town Taxi Rivals Agree to Seven-Day Truce
Rival Cape Town taxi associations, the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA), have agreed to a seven-day truce, reports EWN. This comes after months of deadly violence that has claimed about a dozen lives and disrupted public transport. The agreement is aimed at restoring calm along the Delft-Langa-Epping corridor, where tensions have been fuelled by disputes over unlawful taxi operations. Both associations have also committed to an independently facilitated process to address the underlying causes of the conflict, with a follow-up meeting with government. The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has welcomed the agreement, saying it is important to protect commuters, drivers and taxi operators.
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IEC Warns Voters Against Photographing Marked Ballots
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has reminded voters of the rules at voting stations ahead of the Local Government Elections, reports SABC News. It warned that taking photographs of marked ballot papers is strictly prohibited. Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Shiburi said voters must mark their ballots in private and follow the instructions of election officials. The commission has also warned against campaigning, canvassing, intimidating or attempting to influence voters inside voting stations. It further urged the public not to intimidate electoral staff or take and share unauthorised photographs of officials on social media. Shiburi said that voting booths are positioned to protect ballot secrecy and prevent voters from being pressured into photographing their choices in exchange for favours or other benefits.
SAHRC Urges Urgent Action to Fix Gauteng Water Crisis
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has called on Gauteng municipalities and water service providers to urgently rehabilitate failing wastewater treatment plants and improve access to reliable water and sanitation services, reports EWN. The appeal follows the release of the commission’s report on water and sanitation service delivery in the province, which highlights serious challenges affecting water infrastructure and security. The commission found that approximately 1.5 billion litres of water are lost daily in Gauteng due to leaks. While acknowledging the substantial support provided by the Department of Water and Sanitation to the province's water sector, SAHRC commissioner Henk Boshoff warned that greater attention must be given to protecting and rehabilitating water resources. The commission raised concerns about the deteriorating condition of the resources on which Gauteng's long-term water security depends.
