Associations meet as taxi commuters face massive fare increase

Taxi operators are meeting to discuss huge fare increases that are expected to have a crippling effect on commuters.

The Alexandra-Randburg-Midrand-Sandton Taxi Association on Sunday said it was left between a rock and a hard place as taxis were now regulated to carry only 70% capacity which forced them to implement the fare increase on 15 June.

The South African National Taxi Council‘s Thabiso Mololekwa said operators were scheduled for a meeting on Tuesday to find a way forward.

Santaco’s secretary Ralph Jones said while they sympathized with commuters, the fare increases would impact every association around the country from Monday.

“Due to Covid-19 regulations limiting the number of people allowed in a taxi, operators have lost a substantial amount of money,” Jones said.

“Government has not compensated or subsidised associations, as relief funds were never handed out.”

“The government started to make noise, saying there was a relief fund for the taxi industry, which was never done. Because of that, our cars are being repossessed, our drivers are not working because they are fighting with the operators or their owners, and petrol is expensive.”

He said government needed to get involved in the problem, meanwhile the associations were left with little choice but to increase fares.

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