Eight people were arrested during taxi driver protests in Johannesburg on Tuesday, police said.

Director Govindsamy Mariemuthoo said four people were arrested for reckless and negligent driving and four for obstructing traffic during the protests.

He said the arrests took place in Kliptown and Mondeor during the course of the day. The eight men arrested would appear in court soon.

On Tuesday taxi drivers brought traffic on many Johannesburg main roads to a standstill in a protest against the planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

The operators claim the new system will destroy their livelihood.

They blockaded intersections around the city and Soweto and caused severe traffic jams for commuters trying to get to work.

The taxi drivers handed a memorandum to the ANC's secretary general Gwede Mantashe which said taxi drivers and operators were not consulted about the new system and believed they would not benefit from it.

Sapa

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