At the height of the coronavirus spike, taxi operators have been instructed by their association to load 100% passengers starting tomorrow, June 29, 2020.
The announcement was made during a virtual media briefing held by the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) on Sunday, June 28.
This comes as the meeting between the South African Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula and the taxi association was postponed.
In the midst of the dragging impasse between the government and taxi operators, millions of commuters who rely on this mode of transport are affected directly by the negotiators and their indecisions. Commuters have to report to work, on the one hand, and guard against the risks of contracting the searing pandemic, on the other hand.
“We have decided to face… and take the bull by the horns,” bellowed Phillip Taaibosch, the President of SANTACO. However, he assured the public that although taxi operators will load 100%, they will uphold and comply with the Covid-19 regulations of the country.
Ayanda Allie Paine, the Department of Transport spokesperson, said the meeting was rescheduled to next week Tuesday, June 30. At issue, among others, will be the contested (100%) full capacity loading.
The postponement by the ministry has raised the ire of the biggest public transport sector in SA. So much so they could not wait for Tuesday even though their latest action goes against the regulations which permits 70% carrying capacity. For them, this arrangement is unprofitable and their businesses, they fear, may ultimately run aground if left unchallenged for long.
Meanwhile, SANTACO said it will bring taxi operations to a grinding halt should the government impounds its vehicles as a result of filling them to the brim.
Quite recently, few taxi associations in Johannesburg threatened to hike their fares by over 100%. To this, the government hastened to announce the much-delayed relief funds to the tune of R1 billion. The taxi industry rejected this offer as meager compensation. For their part, they voiced that they made huge sacrifices during the mandatory lockdowns still in force. The Covid-19 regulations prevented taxi operators to fill their taxis to their normal (full) capacities.
For the Department of Transport to defer today’s engagement, seemingly, it is interpreted in the taxi industry as a snub if not kicking the can down the bumpy road. Yet, passengers whose main transport is taxis are caught, apparently, in crossfire.
The true picture of how all this will wind up will emerge tomorrow.