Taxis stream into Eastern Cape

Video

ABERDEEN NEWS AND VIDEO - Once again, there was a long queue of mainly taxis waiting to pass the checkpoint on the R61 outside Aberdeen this morning.

Ryan Denson from Aberdeen filmed a video just before 8am this morning, counting over 100 vehicles backed up towards Beaufort West for about 1.2km.

Denson also saw taxi drivers cutting through fencing to access the old gravel road between Beaufort West and Aberdeen to avoid the roadblock, and the police have asked the farmer concerned to lock the gates on that road.

The tailback causes severe problems for local farmers if they have to wait in the queue, but Farmers’ Association chairman Hantie Marx has now arranged for “local farmer” vehicle stickers, and generally they are able to drive past the queue and the testing station.

It is unclear at this stage if all drivers and passengers are being screened for coronavirus.

Watch the video below.