Taxi funding, the other plague that is here to stay

South Africa looks more and more like a Mad Max movie every day.

In the post-apocalyptic chaos of burning car tyres, gunfire, rocks and concrete-strewn roads, the “road warriors” roar along their lawless way.

In this venal, “me-first” culture (substitute “road warriors” for taxis), it is the innocents who get hurt. Because our taxi bosses have chosen Covid-19 as the battlefield on which they wish to challenge the crumbling vestiges of what passes for authority in this many more people will get sick. And many more will die – because a taxi must be filled to the brim, chance of infections or not…

The unpalatable reality for many is that the taxi industry does have some good arguments. Why should an elitist, mega-inefficient state airline, which conveys only the elite and government comrades, enjoy huge subsidies, while taxis don’t? Why should the
Gautrain chew up taxpayer money when it transports so few people compared to Toyota Quantums?

It’s too late to say the state should put in place transport systems for the majority. There’s no money – and there never will be.

Although the plague of coronavirus will eventually be over; the taxi one will be with us for a long time.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.