As taxi-related violence continues to rip through the City of Cape Town, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has accused the taxi industry of making an about-turn despite agreeing to terms discussed in a meeting during the weekend.

Hill-Lewis on Monday said the City would not negotiate with the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) "with a gun on our heads" on new demands that are "impossible to agree to". 

He said this sudden change led to a further escalation of violence and chaos in the City, saying the taxi industry could accept the initial terms and end the strike.

If not, Hill-Lewis said the City would not back down, adding that "we would need to prepare to stay the course."

The heightened tensions between the City and Santaco have affected Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS), which obtained an urgent interim interdict against Santaco after its buses were torched.

The operator approached the Western Cape High Court on Sunday, with its chairperson Yunis Shaik claiming that strike-related vandalism had cost the company millions in damaged infrastructure.

On Monday night, the company returned to the High Court to force Santaco to prove that it circulated a statement to its members instructing them not to incite violence during the stayaway on Sunday. 

Santaco distanced itself from the Borcherds Quarry Road taxi blockade on Monday morning.

High Court Judge Gamble cited CCTV screen grabs, saying they showed clear evidence of a breach of Sunday's order preventing violence and intimidation. 

Santaco lawyer Morné Basson responded: "Yes, but by who?" 

He argued that neither the court nor GABS knew who conducted the blockade, and Santaco denied having any part in the incident.

He said if any of its members participated in the blockade, they would have defied the leadership's instructions.

Basson added that viral WhatsApp messages were making the rounds with inflammatory claims of taxi drivers setting out to kill people.

Basson said, "It's not from the organisation. It's a big, big problem."

He pointed out that many of those involved in the blockade had already been arrested.

He said Santaco sent an email to member associations calling on them to ensure compliance with the law.

He said this proved compliance. 

Gamble wanted to adjourn the proceedings to Tuesday, to which City of Cape Town lawyer advocate Anton Katz SC asked for an additional 10 minutes.

"It's about what happens tomorrow morning while City is shut down. School buses have been attacked," he said.

On Monday, 27 schools were forced to shut down due to the violence. The City had arrested 44 people for public violence by the evening. 

The court granted the City an interdict against Santaco's ongoing strike. The interdict prohibits people, vehicles, taxis and drivers from blockading public roads in a manner that may cause traffic delays. 

It further states, "No person may approach within 100m any transportation depot within the Cape metropole, and no person may interfere with the operations of any transportation depot."

Hill-Lewis welcomed the interdict.

"We welcome the High Court granting us an interdict against Santaco's taxi strike violence, including attempts to blockade routes and threaten other transport modes and commuters," he said.

The mayor said the interdict empowered its efforts with the SA Police Service (SAPS).

"The City will uphold the rule of law without fear or favour, as was demonstrated earlier today with the clearing and impounding of vehicles blockading a major route. This interdict further empowers our work with the SAPS to keep our roads open, protect buses and commuters, and arrest the perpetrators of disorder," he said. 

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga will engage the affected parties on Tuesday.