By: Vuyolwethu Nzolongwane
The taxi industry is often surrounded by negativity, such as violence and reckless driving. East London residents were left in awe by the taxi drivers’ actions last week when they turned the negativity into positivity by standing together to protect the Buffalo City Metro.
Stationers and Branding Owner, Belinda Smith is one such resident who was left in awe when she encountered a taxi driver that was patrolling in the evening to make sure that there would not be any looting taking place.
“We got very scared on Tuesday when this whole thing went down as we can see Vincent Park from where we are and we were busy with renovations at Mdantsane Mall on Wednesday and we were working late at night and we had forgotten a cell phone behind so we went back to fetch the cell phone when we were stopped by a taxi driver and I won’t lie we were very scared and the taxi driver asked us what we were doing there and we told him and when we asked him what he was doing there at that time, he said they were watching for looters and then I thought, wow these guys are driving around after hours with their petrol, protecting our city and that’s when I thought, what am I as a business owner doing to protect them,” said Smith.
Smith then came up with an idea to show gratitude by collaborating with Niehaus McMahon Attorneys by donating 1 000 bottles of sanitisers to the taxi drivers as a way of keeping them and their passengers protected during the pandemic.
Like every South African, Ben Niehaus was also concerned about the unrest and destruction in the country and said he was pleasantly surprised when he heard of the initiative that was taken by the taxi drivers to protect East London.
“As a South African I was greatly concerned about this lawlessness and looting that was taking place and when I was told about the initiative taken by the taxi drivers and how they went out to protect the interest of the public, I was overwhelmed. I thought that this is the responsibility and accountability that I would expect from good citizens and they responded as the best citizens could do, they went out and they said we will help to protect you and I thought that was so remarkable and it needs a response,” he said.
He further expressed how he thinks that the general public’s perception of taxi drivers has been wrong and has perhaps been created by a few taxi drivers who do not follow rules and that taxi drivers have “shown us that they are law-abiding citizens who are concerned about what happens in our community, just like everybody else.”
Sella Doyle, from Parkside, came out with a group of children from her neighbourhood to show their gratitude to the taxi drivers through song and a hot meal, where they offered 60 plates of food to the taxi drivers who are based in Oxford Street.
“With the help of the community, I thought that we could show our token of appreciation to taxi drivers for being on standby and ensuring that there was no looting that took place in our town by offering them a hot meal, made with love. I was very impressed by what the taxi drivers did by protecting the businesses because it goes to show that they are also aware that the looting of businesses would not only affect the owners but would also affect them as well and in my eyes that makes them heroes,” she said.