Taxi operators ask: Commuters, wear your masks

With Limpopo fast approaching the third Covid-19 wave, a taxi driver of the Polokwane Seshego Taxi Association has expressed his concerns over the non-compliance of Covid-19 regulations by commuters on his daily route.

Tshepo Molepo says it is becoming increasingly difficult to get people to wear their masks inside the taxi as most people wear them when they enter just for formality’s sake.

“If you walk around the city, you will see that most people are not wearing their masks anymore or not wearing it properly. This is the same situation in our taxis. I personally will ask you to get off the taxi if you are not wearing a mask properly, but it is not always possible.”

He says that it is particularly difficult to enforce the regulations to the elderly who often complain that they cannot breathe properly, “and how do you say ‘no’ to someone like that”.

Molepo says because of the cold, they also struggle with getting people to open the windows for proper ventilation in the mornings and late afternoons. “When you ask that they open the windows it becomes a problem because everyone is feeling cold.”

He has urged commuters to keep their masks on properly and to assist each other by insisting that the person next to them is always wearing one too.

Polokwane Observer revisited the regulations under alert level 3, and by law everyone is expected to wear their masks in public including in public transport.

If not, you will be committing an offence and can be fined or imprisoned for a period not exceeding six months.

Polokwane Observer spoke to more taxi operators to hear if they have challenges in this regard.

John Chuma: The truth is some people comply and others don’t. If they say they cannot breathe or whatever the reason, I ask them to get off, because this is something that should not be negotiable. I also struggle a bit with people who want to sit and eat because then they have to take their masks off. For now we have asked that no one eats in our vehicles. If you are hungry you should eat before you get onto the taxi.

For me, it is mostly elderly people who complain about having other illnesses which cause them to struggle to breathe with their masks on. Other people take off their masks and sleep in the car and it is difficult to force them to wear it if they explain their situation to you. Sometimes I do ask people to get off the taxi.

I personally make sure everyone is wearing their masks. Once I start driving I am not able to see everyone. The other passengers need to assist us by keeping watch and refusing those they are next to from taking off their masks.

My pasengers work well with me, I do not struggle. When they enter, they sanitise and keep their masks on.