well on track with taxi industry issues
29 June 2007
In less than five days the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco)
will hold a national conference in Sun City, near Rustenburg. The conference,
to be held from the 25 to 27 June 2007 will give the taxi operators as well as
other stakeholders in the taxi industry an opportunity to look at policy
direction for the industry and many challenges that affect its activities from
legislation to business.
The Executive Council of Santaco in the province has already held a meeting
with the newly appointed Transport MEC P Vilakazi to establish rapport and look
at how best they can work together.
As a milestone, for the North West Department of Transport, Roads and
Community Safety, taxi recapitalisation programme has to date been implemented
properly. Taxi operators have co-operated with the department to have their old
taxis scrapped. The province launched the taxi-scrapping programme on 18 March
2007. The latest information shows that 607 applications were received, out of
these 405 were requested to report on site for inspection and 278 has thus far
reported. A total of 163 vehicles have been scrapped. Hundred and six vehicles
are waiting physical scrapping. A total of 218 applicants have each received a
scrapping fee of R50 000.
The Provincial Licensing Board has issued 11 455 operating licences
throughout the province and now the department has a database of legal taxi
operators. The database will enhance law enforcement in dealing with illegal
operations which have been a major contributor to taxi conflict amongst
operators.
On another positive note, the establishment of Taxi Retail Installations
(TRIs) is steadily gaining momentum. Taxi Retail Stations are one stop shops
comprising filling stations, service and repair centres owned by the Taxi
Co-operatives to service the Taxi Association.
To establish such centres, the Co-operatives must, amongst other things,
secure business sites ideally nearest to taxi ranks. The taxi industry has a
strategic partnership through co-operation agreements with 24 hour fuel outlets
throughout the province whilst negotiating the establishment of TRIs.
The industry has also concluded a strategic partnership with a property
development company and various sites have been identified for the development
of integrated public transport and commercial centres.
This initiative has significant positive implications since it is assisting
in the development and funding certain taxi rank facilities as well as
infrastructure for commuters.
Contact Person:
M Mathebula
Tel: 018 387 4810
Cell: 083 282 6133
E-mail: mmathebula@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety, North West
Provincial Government
29 June 2007
Source: North West Provincial Government (http://www.nwpg.gov.za)
