Artwell Dlamini
9 January 2009
Johannesburg — BUS operator SA Roadlink said yesterday that it was assessing the effect of KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Bheki Cele's attempt to ban the company from the province after a fatal accident last month.
Speaking after Cele withdrew the court action yesterday, SA Roadlink spokesman Sam Fidelis said the company had taken no decision yet on how to respond to the suspension attempt and the manner in which Cele had handled the heated matter in public.
Cele yesterday dubbed SA Roadlink a "killing machine" and "a coffin on wheels".
Fidelis said that there was potential damage to the company's reputation and brand arising from such "dangerous, malicious words".
SA Roadlink came under fire after an accident in which 11 people died last month , prompting the KwaZulu-Natal transport department to revoke SA Roadlink's permit to operate in the province .
However, the Pietermaritzburg High Court temporarily allowed Roadlink to operate after the company launched a court bid challenging the ban.
The matter was to be heard again, but Cele withdrew.
At the initial court proceeding, Judge Isaac Madondo said Cele had not provided evidence that there would be more accidents involving the operator .
Cele said the reason for the withdrawal "was dictated primarily from the judge's view ... that before moratorium was imposed the procedures in the ... Administrative Justice Act should have been followed".
But Cele hinted that the legal wrangle was not over.
"We cannot fold our arms whilst the safety of our commuters is being compromised in the interest of companies making profit." With Sapa
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Business Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
