Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi and MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko reached an agreement with two taxi organisations on disputes relating to the licensing and impounding of minibus taxis by the provincial traffic law enforcement agencies. The agreement was entered into on Thursday, 7 April 2011.
The two Gauteng departments entered into an agreement with the Gauteng Taxi Council (GATACO) and the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (GNTA). The agreement stipulates that the Traffic Police will place a two month moratorium, from 7 April to 7 June 2011, on the impounding of minibus taxis. This comes after the realisation that several hundred taxi license and permit applications have been lost due to computer systems crash in December last year.
MEC Vadi reiterated that the month long moratorium is aimed at allowing the administrative processes at the Gauteng Operating Licensing Board (GOLB) to be improved. He stated that the operating licensing board has been requested to re-design the written permission letter, a document serving as a temporary permit pending the processing of an application, to enhance its authenticity and to prevent fraud.
Community Safety MEC Mazibuko has emphasised that once the system is up and running, the traffic police will act firmly against offenders. The MEC further stated that the provincial law enforcement agencies have been instructed to act against illegal taxi operators and those who intimidate legitimate taxi operators. The provincial authorities also mentioned that the moratorium would not prevent them from impounding unroadworthy minibus taxis or those being operated on fraudulent licenses and fake permits.
MEC Vadi mentioned that this agreement is aimed at strengthening relationships with the taxi industry and reducing the potential for disputes. Both GATACO and GNTA welcomed the agreement.
Source: Gauteng Transport and Roads
