Taxi commuters to pay extra for their fares
Commuters should prepare to go extra deep into their pockets for taxi fares across the county, following the recent increase in fuel prices.
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The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has already granted taxi owners the go ahead to increase taxi fares. The increase is expected to be from 10-25 per cent.
Previously, in the taxi industry taxi fares were increased once in a year but things look to have taken another turn.
SANTACO president Mr Bafana Magagula, said that the recent increase in petrol prices have made it difficult for them to do business in the industry.
Also read: Motorists to dig deeper for Petrol
“I don’t know how many times petrol prices were increased just for only this year, yet there were no increase in taxi fares. But we want to plea with taxi drivers to issue notice first to commuters at least give them a month or two notifying them about the increase,” he said.
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According to the department of Energy, the recent increase in fuel prices was caused by the weakening of the Rand compared to the US dollar. Both 93 and 95 octane petrol was increased by 67 cents, diesel by 44 cents while paraffin increased by 98 cents.