THE Capricorn District Taxi Council (CDTC) revealed their new transformation plan during their recent annual general meeting that was held in Polokwane.
Some 3 000 delegates from various local taxi associations that operate in the Capricorn district were on a collective mission to change the image of the taxi industry for the better.
Apart from the taxi operators, the meeting was also attended by stakeholders in the business sector, as well as representatives from both local and provincial government structures.
CDTC chairperson, Solly Ledwaba, said the issue of operating licenses was one of the thorny issues that needed to be resolved urgently.
“The taxi industry faces many challenges including operating licenses.
“Law enforcement agencies prey on the taxi industry as a result of the department of roads’ inability to adequately deal with matters relating to the operating licences,” he said.
Ledwaba revealed that the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) tried to find ways to better manage taxi rank facilities.
He said the process was at an advanced stage.
He said the CDTC was grateful that the Capricorn District Municipality took the lead in the taxi rank management process.
Ledwaba spoke about inter-organisational conflicts and called on the Polokwane Taxi Association and Santaco to establish an interprovincial conflict management team.
“Our taxi associations that conduct interprovincial operations between Polokwane and Gauteng do not enjoy the right to freely operate between these two provinces,” said Ledwaba.
His sentiments were echoed by Prince Pholowa, deputy chairperson of Re Gona Taxi Association, which operates between Polokwane and Gauteng.
“We have been fighting over the routes for quite some time now. We now appeal for calm and want to move forward in a peaceful transition,” Pholowa said.
