Tshwane taxi ranks gets Covid-19 clean-up
“We are not protected as commuters, we are left without PPEs and we cannot afford them on our own.”
Several Tshwane taxi ranks have received intensive Covid-19 cleaning. They were also supplied with personal protective wear.
One of Tshwane’s largest taxi ranks, Bosman station, received a Covid-19 clean-up on Tuesday.
The station underwent an intensive cleaning and sanitisation process as part of government’s measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Gauteng MEC Jacob Mamabolo, Tshwane metro’s transport administrator Gilberto Martins and taxi industry heads of the South African Taxi Industry (SANTACO) headed the clean-up project.
Bosman Taxi Rank, one of the largest ranks in Tshwane is undergoing intensive cleaning and sanitization thanks to all our partners and @CityTshwane #FlatteningTheCurve Together we shall prevail against #Covid19inSA pic.twitter.com/C10n6C886V
— MEC Jacob Mamabolo (@JacobMamaboloSA) April 14, 2020
Mamabolo said the metro and provincial government disinfected the taxi rank and minibuses and supplied gloves, masks and hand sanitisers, which would be used by commuters.
“It is important to intensify the clean-up programme to protect our people from contracting the virus.
“The taxi industry is highly interactive and can prove to be a high-risk factor in the transmission of the virus. The clean-up and sanitising drive are aimed at preventing this,” he said.
He said the provincial government and the metro would work together to expand the programme to other local taxi ranks that have not yet received a clean-up or personal protective equipment (PPEs) for commuters, over the next few weeks.
“We do not want a single commuter to be exposed to the virus, we are equipping the taxi industry with PPEs so it is not the weakest link for transmissions. We don’t want to transport the virus,” he said.
Mamabolo said the department and the metro will continue with the clean-up programme beyond Covid-19 lockdown period.
“Historically taxi ranks were neglected and never taken care of, we will work with them (taxi industry) to clean the infrastructure, get toilet facilities and even look into getting cleaning staff,” he said.
Addressing lack of compliance of the load regulations in the metro, Mamabolo said the department, with law enforcement, will arrest those who break the law.
“Regarding the non-compliance we are addressing, in Mamelodi last week 40 cars were impounded and in Atteridgeville 37 were impounded . People need to adhere to the restrictions,” he said.
He said the fines for impounded cars range from R100 to R3 500.
In Soshanguve, the taxi industry-led its programme to sanitise commuters and disinfect minibuses on Tuesday.
Nana Sita taxi rank was also cleaned and supplied with PPEs on Wednesday.
The cleaning of taxi ranks is an important part of the government’s intervention to flatten the curve of Covid-19. The project started earlier this month and is yet to spread through to smaller taxi ranks.
In the east and Pretoria central, some commuters do not have personal protective wear such as masks and gloves as some taxi ranks have not yet been sanitised or supplied with the PPEs yet.
Nellmapius resident Magdelene Nonyane sat at the Silverton taxi rank without any PPEs.
She said if it were not for getting food for her children, she would not be catching a taxi as it was a “high” risk for contracting the virus.
“We are not protected as commuters, we are left without PPEs and we cannot afford them on our own,” she said.
Another commuter, Constance Malope, said taxi drivers shouted at commuters for complaining about the lack of compliance to the 70% load restriction set to enforce social distancing rules.
“We are scared to speak because they shout at us. If the government could supply our local ranks with masks and gloves, it would be better because we would be protected,” she said.
One taxi driver just a few streets away from central Bloed taxi rank, Mogau Senong, offered his sanitiser to commuters.
He said he did this in the protection of his health and that of many “bread-winners” that catch a ride in his taxi.
“I give people the sanitiser so we can all be protected. Almost everyone in the taxi handles the money and passes it forward. If one person is infected they can easily spread the virus and that’s why giving people the sanitiser is important to me.
“You have to protect your health. Many taxi drivers are without the PPEs. Some of us buy it ourselves but it can never be enough,” he said.
Tshwane metro spokesperson, Selby Bokaba said by the end of April the metro would have covered all the taxi ranks in the region.
“About 30 to 40 taxi ranks have been sanitised so far and by the end of April, we would have completed all of them. These ranks will be deep cleaned. This involves high-powered cleaning equipment used to clean streets. The entire surface and area of the rank will get cleaned and the entire rank will get disinfected,” Bokaba said.
He said the initiative was supported by different stakeholders.
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