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The Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR) has been appointed as the official mediator.
MEETING ON THE WESTERN CAPE TRANSPORT CONFLICT
Held on 17 July 2000
at the Centre for Conflict Resolution
- Attendance
The following parties were represented at the meeting: the MEC Transport (and senior officials, including traffic officials); the MEC Community Safety (and senior officials); the Attorney General's Office; the taxi associations, Codeta and Cata; Golden Arrow bus company and drivers' union; the SAPS; and community police forums (Khayelitsha, Langa, Nyanga and Gugulethu).
The parties decided to give observer status to two organisations, the Peninsula Anti-Crime Association (PEACA) and the Khayelitsha Civic Association (KCA), that had not been invited to the meeting. It was further agreed that this decision would not constitute a precedent for further meetings of the parties.
The meeting was chaired by Laurie Nathan, Executive Director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), appointed by the parties on 10 July 2000 as the facilitator/mediator of the process of resolving the Western Cape transport conflict.
- Record of decisions
It was agreed that CCR would distribute to the parties a record of the decisions taken at the meeting, and that the parties would be requested to confirm in writing the accuracy of this record.
- Principles regarding normalisation
The parties confirmed their support for the 'general principles on normalisation' (Appendix 1). The parties agreed that CCR would communicate these principles to the public through a press release.
- Process to be followed
The parties accepted the Chairperson's proposal that they pursue dialogue and/or negotiations on specific issues through working groups that comprise the relevant parties and that are limited to a small number of delegates per party. The working groups will meet over the following days and weeks, with facilitation support from CCR.
The parties agreed on a list of issues of concern; on the clustering of these issues; and on the parties that should be present at meetings to address these issues (Appendix 2).
The parties agreed that over the next 48 hours they would submit to CCR their written proposals for concrete action that could be taken to address the issues grouped in the `violence cluster'. On receipt of these proposals, CCR would arrange meetings with the relevant parties.
Golden Arrow stated that it regarded the prosecution of bus drivers in respect of previous protest action as a high priority issue. The taxi associations stated that they regarded the impoundment of taxis by law enforcement agencies as a high priority issue. It was agreed that arrangements to address these matters would be made by the relevant parties immediately after the close of the meeting.
- Public communication
The parties supported the `proposed agreement on public communication regarding the Western Cape transport conflict' (Appendix 3)
- Payment of the facilitators
The parties supported the Chairperson's proposal that payment to the facilitators be sought from a corporate sponsor. The Chairperson added that he would consult the parties once potential sponsors had been identified.
- Date of next meeting
The parties agreed that the next plenary meeting would be held at the Centre for Conflict Resolution at 10:00am on 8 August 2000.
- Principles regarding normalisation
LAURIE NATHAN
Executive Director
25 July 2000
Appendix 1
GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON 'NORMALISATION'
Appendix 2
ISSUES OF CONCERN AND RELEVANT PARTIES
Violence [all parties]
Cessation of violence
Peace initiatives (e.g. monitoring)
Public threats and inflammatory statements
Transport [provincial transport dept (including traffic authorities); Golden Arrow; taxi associations; community police forums; and, where necessary, dept of community safety; CCR]
Public communication on transport policy
Taxi permits: special sessions of the Local Road Transportation Board
Taxi permits: objections to permit applications
Transformation of the Local Road Transportation Board
Interim transport arrangements: schedules (including weekend timetables); overcrowding of routes
Subsidy to Golden Arrow
Other
Impounding of taxis [Director of Public Prosecutions; taxi associations; traffic authorities; provincial dept of transport; SAPS; dept of community safety; CCR]
Prosecution of bus drivers following protest action [Director of Public Prosecutions; Golden Arrow; CCR]
Cost of legal proceedings [taxi associations; Golden Arrow; CCR]
Outreach to other groups [CCR (though not to the exclusion of other parties)]
Representivity of community safety forums [provincial dept of community safety; community safety forums; CCR]
Appendix 3:
PROPOSED AGREEMENT ON PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
REGARDING THE WESTERN CAPE TRANSPORT CONFLICT
The parties
The parties represented at the talks on the Western Cape transport conflict have a constitutional right of freedom of expression. They may also be obliged to communicate their positions to their members and the public.
The parties will exercise that right and obligation in a responsible manner in order to avoid exacerbating the conflict and provoking violence.
Accordingly, in verbal and written statements to their members and the public, the parties will:
Where a party wishes to express disagreement with the position of another party, it will avoid insulting that party, its officials and its members.
The Centre for Conflict Resolution
When addressing the public through the media, the Centre will provide information on mediation in general; on the process of facilitating the negotiations; and, in consultation with the parties, on any agreements concluded between them.
The Centre will avoid making comment on the substantive issues in dispute where such comment might be considered prejudicial to the interests of any party.
Because the transport conflict affects many individuals, organisations and communities, parties that are not directly involved in the negotiations will be invited to communicate their views to the Centre.
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