Taxi deaths spark safety issues

Another horrific road accident claimed six lives on 27 November when a taxi overturned on the N14 highway heading toward Krugersdorp.

The six bodies, as well as nine injured passengers, were scattered across the median divider island of the highway near the Sandton offramp. Traffic police, law enforcement officers and paramedics had the tough task of directing traffic, cleaning up the scene and transporting surviving victims to nearby hospitals.

Bemused Diepsloot residents stood nearby shaking their heads.

“This is nothing new. We just end up dying on our way to work,” said Yolandie Zulu, when questioned about what happened.

She said she didn’t see the crash, but made her way to the scene when people said there was yet another accident.

“Taxis are never safe, I think the drivers need thorough training – they put all our lives in danger,” shared another bystander.

TAXI REGULATION KEEPS FAILING

Taxi regulation is a hot topic, but so far nothing has been done to ensure drivers and commuters are protected from possible accidents.

“What has become clear is that police have a conflict of interest. They, [or] their families or relatives have ties to the taxi industry. Their policing of the industry is not done adequately,” claimed DA shadow Minister of Transport, Ian Ollis.

He added there is not enough self-regulation in the taxi industry.

“They have admitted to parliament that a number of their drivers have false licenses, but claim they don’t have the power to deal with them. This is simply ducking the issue,” Ollis said.

“Self-regulation is possible, which you can see when they [associations] fine drivers who are out of their designated routes.”

He believes that it was rare for unroadworthy taxis and buses to be impounded by police, driving a huge wedge in enforcement of laws by provincial traffic police.

But, educating taxi drivers was not an easy task. Whether it was an unwillingness to comply, or little done to ensure drivers do, South Africa has so far not provided enough programmes where drivers had a platform to learn. In a nutshell, this could be explained by listening to a taxi driver on scene on the morning of the crash.

The taxi driver, who did not want to be named, admitted to Fourways Review, “It’s a simple system: taxi drivers and owners operate their fleets to make cash. To make cash, they need to move as many people as possible. They also need to pay their dues to owners. Behind the scenes, greed drives an unwillingness to comply because the top tiers in the system want more cash. Reckless driving is necessary to do this.”

Ollis also called into question the K53 licence system. He believed it was not an adequate driver training system and needed to be replaced with a better system.

“The question of corruption in vehicle roadworthy and licensing centres is also a national problem,” he added.

NO ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT AT INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

Diepsloot resident Siyenathi Rwanqa said, “Taxis aren’t safe, but around here it is our only transport, and they are cheap to ride.”

His sentiments were shared by fellow resident Themba Prince.

“I have little choice but to drive in a piece of scrap with no safety belts. There is no other way to get to Diepsloot. From Fourways I take a bus to Parktown where I work, but we will always need them for that first stretch of our journey.”

Matilda Xaba said she had been in a taxi accident before.

“I now have a deal with the family I work for where they drop me off at Extension 1, and pick me up every day.”

The closest bus stop to Diepsloot is on the R511 near Beverley. This means that most commuters still have to hop in a minibus, which they themselves have deemed unsafe, to earn their daily bread.

“We’ll see another accident like this soon. Unless something changes,” Yolanie Zulu warned.

Caxton employee dies in horror crash, 27 November, 15.05

Following the Diepsloot taxi tragedy on the N14, Caxton Community Newspapers’ North West Johannesburg branch learned this afternoon that one of their employees was one of the victims of the crash.

Cecilia Marawu, a receptionist, was one of the six who died in the accident.

Before being employed at Caxton North West, she was with Caxton Johannesburg North as a DTP assistant.

Marawu leaves behind her two daughters and a son.

Fatal taxi flip, 27 November: 08.30

EMER-G-MED and other services arrived on the scene to find that six people had tragically lost their lives due to the extent of their injuries.

One person has sustained critical injuries and is being airlifted to hospital, while several others have sustained serious injuries and are being treated on-scene and will be transported to hospital for further medical treatment, said paramedic Wayne Broodryk of EMER-G-MED.

The road is closed in both directions so expect heavy delays in traffic, avoid the area if possible.