Staff Reporter
Taxis in the Free State have started ferrying passengers at 100 percent capacity, in defiance of a government regulation to limit the load to 70 percent as one of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
South African National Taxi Association (SANTACO) provincial chairperson Mnzameni Mthimkhulu told The Free Stater that most operators from different parts of the province had taken heed of a national call by the association to load at full capacity.
“The reports I am getting from the different regions are that our members are loading passengers at 100 percent,” he said.
Mthimkhulu was however quick to say a few operators were not loading at full capacity for a variety of reasons.
“We have a few operators that are not sure about what’s happening and are not doing 100 percent,” he said.
“They will not be forced to increase their load. It’s up to them. The rest are following the national directive.”
SANTACO is the umbrella body of taxi associations in the country with a fleet of about 130 000 vehicles.
According to its website, approximately 95 000 taxis ply the short and medium distance trips in urban areas while the remainder service rural and inter-city routes.
The organisation’s president, Phillip Taaibosch, yesterday announced they had resolved taxis would load at 100 capacity and that long-distance operators would resume work without permits as their businesses were under threat.
Taaibosch said they had taken decision as a result of frustrations and lack of support from the government after operating at below capacity throughout the national lockdown which started on March 27.
A R1.1 billion relief package proposed by the government has been dismissed as a pittance by taxi associations that are worried some of their members are on the verge of losing their vehicles as the payment holiday given by banks ends on July 1.
Scheduled meetings with Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula have been postponed since Friday, prompting the taxi association to go against government regulations citing viability problems.
The SANTACO national office said over the weekend operating at 70 percent capacity and not being allowed to do interprovincial trips had severely impacted cash-flows with some operators struggling to raise enough money for fuel.
The organisation said it is worried up to 45 percent of taxi owners could have their vehicles repossessed by banks by the end of the year as they may fail to pay their motor vehicle loans.
According to SANTACO, the country’s taxi industry could be losing up R25 million per day due to the lockdown restrictions.
Some of the strict health and safety measures to be implemented by SANTACO include:
- Wearing of masks in the taxis which is compulsory in terms of the law
- Sanitisation of taxis and commuters as they board taxis
- For long-distance taxis, marshals must ensure that all commuters are screened and recorded and that a proper filing system is kept.
- Regional taxi councils of respective long-distance taxis must be given weekly reports of this information including taxis that loaded.
- Associations must ensure taxi drivers do not load beyond the taxi’s legal loading capacity.
- Taxis and drivers must also ensure sanitisation upon finishing work.