Cape Town, 13 August 2023: Speaking at a prayer meeting in Mitchells Plain to bring an end to the taxi crisis in Cape Town, anti-apartheid cleric Dr Allan Boesak condemned the upcoming 40th anniversary celebrations of the United Democratic Front (UDF). Boesak also condemned all parties who promote narrow ethnic nationalism.

Boesak recently in an op-ed explained why he declined an invitation to be part of the UDF’s 40th anniversary celebrations in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain. Boesak headed the UDF from August 1983 when it was launched as an umbrella body of anti-apartheid political parties, civic society organisations, trade unions, sporting federations and religious organisations to fight and oppose the apartheid regime. The UDF was disbanded after the ANC (African National Congress) was unbanned in 1990.

The prayer meeting brought together various community organisations to have a discussion with SANTACO (South African National Taxi Council) after an 8 day taxi strike disrupted public transport in the city and resulted in public violence, looting and protesting.