The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus system was put under extreme pressure on Monday morning as commuters left stranded by taxis resorted to using the new bus system, the City of Johannesburg said.

"We are very disappointed that despite the decision [not to go on strike in protest against BRT] taxi drivers are not operating," said Rehana Moosajee, the city's mayoral committee member for transportation.

Moosajee said this in a statement after a number of taxi commuters were left stranded at taxi ranks on Monday morning as there were no taxis to transport them to work.

The commuters had resorted to using the newly launched BRT buses, causing chaos in the process.

"It shows a lack of respect for the millions of commuters who have been supporting them and using their [taxi] services over the years."

Among those affected by taxi disruptions was Soweto resident George Myeza, who arrived at work an hour late as there were no taxis in his township.

Johannesburg metro police spokeswoman Inspector Edna Mamonyane said CCTV cameras along the route from Soweto to Booysens were "not picking up a lot of volume from taxis going from Booysens to the CBD".

"Normally it's quite a huge number coming from Soweto to the CBD," she said on Monday morning.

The taxi go-slow had also delayed the sentencing of Krugersdorp schoolboy Morne Harmse as a stenographer at the Johannesburg High Court failed to arrive to work on time.

The BRT system has raised the ire of the minibus taxi industry, which believes it threatens their livelihood.

To strike or not to strike?

Last week they lost an emergency court bid to stop the system. Since then there has been confusion on whether the industry would strike or not.

Spokesperson for the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco), Thabisho Molelekwa, said taxi operators "possibly went on a go-slow to indicate their dissatisfaction about the BRT system" although it was not officially decided by the taxi body.

"It appears to me that the go slow has had an impact on the BRT which shows that it [BRT system] really needs the taxi industry for it to be a success story. So what Santaco needs is for the government to come to the party to agree to sign the memorandum of understanding," he said.

Molelekwa said taxi bosses would meet between 2pm and 3pm to discuss the situation.

Meanwhile, Moosajee urged BRT users to be patient as the system, which was launched on Sunday, would have teething problems.

"We ask commuters to please be patient if they encounter long queues at stations. We will have some problems as we begin, as with any major system that is introduced, but we are fully committed to sorting these out as quickly as possible to ensure a positive travelling experience for Rea Vaya passengers," she said.

She urged commuters to consult the Rea Vaya ambassadors stationed at BRT stations should they have enquiries about the system.

Metrorail has vowed to increase its operations to accommodate commuters the stranded commuters.

"In anticipation of massive commuter turnout at our stations and additional demand for our services, resulting from the planned SANTACO protest action against the BRT on Tuesday, 1 September 2009, and consequent overflows of taxi users to the rail system, Metrorail has scheduled extra trains across the Gauteng region to service key commuter routes and to accommodate peak hour commuter volumes effectively from today, 31 August 2009," spokesperson Sibusiso Ngomane said in a statement.

He said security would also be beefed up to ensure commuter safety as the number of commuters increased.