24 May 2006
At least 291 taxi operators in the North West received certificates after
completing the Transport Education Training at a ceremony held in Mafikeng.
The men and women were trained in professional driving, customer care,
generic business administration, mentoring and coaching.
The North West is among the first provinces from a national total of 4 000
learners in the taxi industry that has produced certificated operators and
drivers.
The huge ceremony had drawn representation from South African National Taxi
Council (SANTACO), South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU),
Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA) and the Department of Labour,
which received accolades from Premier Molewa whose speech was delivered by MEC
of Department of Transport and Roads, Mr Jerry Thibedi.
Molewa praised the Department for "having driven the process efficiently to
ensure it brings professionalism and competitiveness to the Small, Medium and
Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) within the taxi industry by providing relevant
National Qualifications Framework (NQF) learning to recipients of
certificates.
Meanwhile MEC Thibedi cautioned taxi owners that next week's deadline for
taxi owners to comply with regulations which is the conversion of a taxi permit
to an operating licence.
He said this was important for the recapitalisation process of the industry
while keeping it on track. Thibedi warned in not so many words that there was
going to be no further extensions to the set deadline.
It also surfaced at the ceremony that many challenges facing the industry
were far from over. A SATAWU representative indicated that many taxi owners
denied their employees an opportunity to go for training. He added that those
who insisted risked losing their jobs while others were summarily
dismissed.
Another issue that hampered progress was the refusal and reluctance by taxi
owners and operators to pay a stipulated levy that would ensure the taxi
industry becomes professional and can run independently.
Enquiries: Cornelius Monama
Provincial Spokesperson
Tel: (018) 387 3456
Cell: 082 578 4063
Russel Mamabolo
Manager - Media Relations
Tel: (018) 387 3103
Cell: 082 900 6610
Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
24 May 2006
